nd his people were in their boat, they
cut the rope which held them, and pulled from the ship with the
utmost precipitation; many were killed in their boats, which (now
that this affair had arrived at such length) became really
necessary, to prevent their rallying and reboarding the ship; for
after they got into their boats, many lances were thrown into the
ship, which occasioned the fire of musquetry to be kept up
something longer than it would have been. I saw the Raja pulling
at an oar himself, and did every thing in my power to prevent his
being shot: for as every person knew him by his dress, it was
probable he might be particularly marked; I fear much he was
wounded, perhaps mortally, notwithstanding my endeavours to save
him, as he dropt his oar several times: during the short time,
which I had been in his company, I was much pleased with him;
there was a certain graceful ease and affability in his manner,
which was highly prepossessing, and a degree of dignity, which
bespoke him of superior rank: he appeared to be about forty-three
or four years of age.

In this unlucky rencontre, we were so fortunate as not to have
a man wounded, which was rather extraordinary, and I believe must
have been owing to the panic occasioned by so sudden and
unexpected an alarm.

Our boat returned from the shore just at the conclusion of
this unlucky scuffle; which common prudence, or a disposition to
benefit by the advice that had been offered, might have
prevented; for whatever may be the natural disposition of the
inhabitants of these islands, they had shown nothing either
unfriendly or suspicious to us; at the same time, to place
implicit confidence in the friendly disposition of such people, I
think, would be highly imprudent. A ship calling here for water
should be ever on her guard, a precaution which was not in any
one respect taken by the master of the ship, except upon my
proposing, on the Raja's first visit, to have ten of my men
placed with small arms upon the top of the round house abaft,
from which situation they could command the whole deck: this
proposal he agreed to, which was more than I expected; for it was
no uncommon thing with him to reject any plan, however necessary,
which his duty should have suggested, without the assistance of
other opinions.

These observations I cannot help making; for they naturally
arise from the distressing situation in which I found myself and
officers who were placed under the