ut could find no
place to land on account of the Great Surf which beat everywhere upon the
Shore. Seeing 2 Boats or Canoes coming in from Sea I rowed to one of
them, in order to Seize upon the People; and came so near before they
took notice of us that Tupia called to them to come alongside and we
would not hurt them; but instead of doing this they endeavour'd to get
away, upon which I order'd a Musquet to be fir'd over their Heads,
thinking this would either make them surrender, or jump overboard; but
here I was mistaken, for they immediately took to their Arms or whatever
they had in the Boat, and began to attack us. This obliged us to fire
upon them, and unfortunately either 2 or 3 were kill'd and one wounded,
and 3 jumped overboard. These last we took up and brought on board, where
they was Cloathed and Treated with all imaginable kindness; and to the
Surprise of everybody became at once as cheerful and as merry as if they
had been with their own Friends. They were all 3 Young, the eldest not
above 20 years of Age, and the youngest about 10 or 12. I am aware that
most Humane men who have not experienced things of this nature will
Censure my Conduct in firing upon the People in their Boat, nor do I
myself think that the reason I had for seizing upon her will at all
justify me; and had I thought that they would have made the Least
Resistance I would not have come near them; but as they did, I was not to
stand still and suffer either myself or those that were with me to be
knocked on the head.

In the morning, as I intended to put our 3 Prisoners ashore, and stay
here the day to see what effect it might have upon the other Natives, I
sent an Officer ashore with the Marines and a party of men to cut wood,
and soon after followed myself, accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander,
and Tupia, taking the 3 Natives with us, whom we landed on the West side
of the River before mentioned. They were very unwilling to leave us,
pretending that they should fall into the hands of their Enemies, who
would kill and Eat them. However, they at last of their own accord left
us and hid themselves in some bushes. Soon after this we discover'd
several bodys of the Natives marching towards us, upon which we retir'd
across the River, and joind the wooders; and with us came the 3 Natives
we had just parted with, for we could not prevail upon them to go to
their own people. We had no sooner got over the River than the others
assembled on the othe