buoy where it was moored.

When I arrived on board, I found the marines arming, and Captain Cook
loading his double-barrelled gun. Whilst I was relating to him
what had happened to us in the night, he interrupted me, with some
eagerness, and acquainted me with the loss of the Discovery's cutter,
and with the preparations he was making for its recovery. It had been
his usual practice, whenever any thing of consequence was lost at
any of the islands in this ocean, to get the king, or some of the
principal _Erees_, on board, and to keep them as hostages, till it was
restored. This method, which had been always attended with success,
he meant to pursue on the present occasion; and, at the same time, had
given orders to stop all the canoes that should attempt to leave the
bay, with an intention of seizing and destroying them, if he could not
recover the cutter by peaceable means. Accordingly, the boats of both
ships, well manned and armed, were stationed across the bay; and,
before I left the ship, some great guns had been fired at two large
canoes that were attempting to make their escape.

It was between seven and eight o'clock when we quitted the ship
together; Captain Cook in the pinnace, having Mr Phillips and nine
marines with him; and myself in the small boat. The last orders I
received from him, were, to quiet the minds of the natives on our
side of the bay, by assuring them they should not be hurt; to keep my
people together, and to be on my guard. We then parted; the captain
went toward Kowrowa, where the king resided; and I proceeded to the
beach. My first care, on going ashore, was to give strict orders to
the marines to remain within the tent; to load their pieces with ball,
and not to quit their arms. Afterward I took a walk to the huts of old
Kaoo and the priests, and explained to them, as well as I could, the
object of the hostile preparations, which had exceedingly alarmed
them. I found that they had already heard of the cutter's being
stolen; and I assured them, that though Captain Cook was resolved to
recover it, and to punish the authors of the theft, yet that they, and
the people of the village on our side, need not be under the smallest
apprehension of suffering any evil from us. I desired the priests to
explain this to the people, and to tell them not to be alarmed, but to
continue peaceable and quiet. Kaoo asked me, with great earnestness,
if Terreeoboo was to be hurt; I assured him he was not; and b