rning, the town should be
destroyed.

When they saw that we were going off, they endeavoured to provoke us
by the most insulting and contemptuous gestures. Some of our people
said they could distinguish several of the natives parading about
in the clothes of our unfortunate comrades; and among them a chief,
brandishing Captain Cook's hanger, and a woman holding the scabbard.
Indeed, there can be no doubt but that our behaviour had given them a
mean opinion of our courage, for they could have but little notion of
the motives of humanity that directed it.

In consequence of the report I made to Captain Clerke, of what I
conceived to be the present temper and disposition of the islanders,
the most effectual measures were taken to guard against any attack
they might make in the night. The boats were moored with top-chains;
additional sentinels were posted on both ships; and guard-boats were
stationed to row round them, in order to prevent the natives from
cutting the cables. During the night we observed a prodigious number
of lights on the hills, which made some of us imagine they were
removing their effects back into the country, in consequence of our
threats. But I rather believe them to have been sacrifices that were
performing on account of the war in which they imagined themselves
about to be engaged; and, most probably, the bodies of our slain
countrymen were at that time burning. We afterwards saw fires of the
same kind, as we passed the island of Morotoi; and which, we were told
by some natives then on board, were made on account of the war they
had declared against a neighbouring island. And this agrees with what
we learned amongst the Friendly and Society Isles, that, previous
to any expedition against an enemy, the chiefs always endeavoured to
animate and inflame the courage of the people by feasts and rejoicings
in the night.

We remained the whole night undisturbed, except by the howlings and
lamentations which were heard on shore; and early the next morning
Koah came alongside the Resolution, with a present of cloth and a
small pig, which he desired leave to present to me. I have mentioned
before, that I was supposed, by the natives, to be the son of Captain
Cook; and as he, in his lifetime, had always suffered them to believe
it, I was probably considered as the chief after his death. As soon as
I came on deck, I questioned, him about the body; and on his returning
me nothing but evasive answers, I refuse