left in the boat,
others of them might take the same liberties with the property of our
people who were on shore.

Be this as it will, all agree that the quarrel first took its rise from
some thefts, in the commission of which the natives were detected. All
agree, also, that there was no premeditated plan of bloodshed, and that,
if these thefts had not been unfortunately too hastily resented no
mischief would have happened. For Kahoora's greatest enemies, those who
solicited his destruction most earnestly, at the same time confessed
that he had no intention to quarrel, much less to kill, till the fray
had actually commenced. It also appears that the unhappy victims were
under no sort of apprehension of their fate, otherwise they never would
have ventured to sit down to a repast at so considerable a distance from
their boat, amongst people who were the next moment to be their
murderers. What became of the boat I never could learn. Some said she
was pulled to pieces and burnt, others told us that she was carried,
they knew not whither, by a party of strangers.

We stayed here till the evening, when, having loaded the rest of the
boats with grass, celery, scurvy-grass, &c. we embarked to return to the
ships. We had prevailed upon Pedro to launch his canoe, and accompany
us; but we had scarcely put off from the shore when the wind began to
blow very hard at N.W., which obliged him to put back, We proceeded
ourselves, but it was with a good deal of difficulty that we could reach
the ships, where some of the boats did not arrive till one o'clock the
next morning; and it was fortunate that they got on board then, for it
afterward blew a perfect storm, with abundance of rain, so that no
manner of work could go forward that day. In the evening the gale
ceased, and the wind, having veered to the E., brought with it fair
weather.

The next day we resumed our works; the natives ventured out to catch
fish; and Pedro, with all his family, came and took up his abode near
us. The chief's proper name is Matahouah; the other being given him by
some of my people during my last voyage, which I did not know till now.
He was, however, equally well known amongst his countrymen by both
names.

On the 20th, in the forenoon, we had another storm from, the N.W. Though
this was not of so long continuance as the former, the gusts of wind
from the hills were far more violent, insomuch that we were obliged to
strike the yards and top-masts to th