who are under no
dread of punishment for a crime of which they are not guilty. For we
already knew that none of them had been concerned in the unhappy
transaction. They told us, that while our people were sitting at dinner,
surrounded by several of the natives, some of the latter stole, or
snatched from them, some bread and fish, for which they were beat. This
being resented, a quarrel ensued, and two New Zealanders were shot dead,
by the only two musquets that were fired. For before our people had time
to discharge a third, or to load again those that had been fired, the
natives rushed in upon them, overpowered them with their numbers, and
put them all to death. Pedro and his companions, besides relating the
history of the massacre, made us acquainted with the very spot that was
the scene of it. It is at the corner of the cove on the right hand. They
pointed to the place of the sun, to mark to us at what hour of the day
it happened; and, according to this, it must have been late in the
afternoon. They also shewed us the place where the boat lay; and it
appeared to be about two hundred yards distant from that where the crew
were seated. One of their number, a black servant of Captain Furneaux,
was left in the boat to take care of her.

We were afterward told that this black was the cause of the quarrel,
which was said to have happened thus: One of the natives stealing
something out of the boat, the Negro gave him a severe blow with a
stick. The cries of the fellow being heard by his countrymen at a
distance, they imagined he was killed, and immediately began the attack
on our people; who, before they had time to reach the boat, or to arm
themselves against the unexpected impending danger, fell a sacrifice to
the fury of their savage assailants.

The first of these accounts was confirmed by the testimony of many of
the natives whom we conversed with at different times, and who, I think,
could have no interest in deceiving us. The second manner of relating
the transaction, rests upon the authority of the young New Zealander,
who chose to abandon his country and go away with us, and who,
consequently, could have no possible view in disguising the truth. All
agreeing that the quarrel happened when the boat's crew were sitting at
their meal, it is highly probable that both accounts are true, as they
perfectly coincide. For we may very naturally suppose, that while some
of the natives were stealing from the man who had been