of natives were here seen seated on the cliffs
watching the ship's movements. When she suddenly got close to a reef,
and there was some sign of confusion on board, they showed a disposition
to attack her. Canoes at different times came off, and in one the
people performed certain ceremonies, sometimes offering peace, and then
threatening war. Five large canoes full of armed men soon after came
off. As the boat's crew were sounding, it was necessary to drive them
away. A musket fired over their heads had no effect, but a four-pounder
charged with grape shot, though fired wide, put them to flight.

Farther along the coast, the next morning, nine or ten large canoes,
which must have contained little short of two hundred men, came off.
When the first five were within a hundred yards of the ship, the natives
began to sing their war-songs and to brandish their weapons. Tupia, on
this, was ordered to inform them of the power and effects of the English
thunder-making arms, and a four-pounder loaded with grape was fired wide
of them. The result was satisfactory, and the natives went peaceably
away. The following day another fleet of canoes came alongside, and
though they had only stale fish to sell, Captain Cook accepted it for
the sake of encouraging traffic. The natives, however, showed every
disposition to take advantage of the strangers, and one of them having
agreed to exchange a black cloak for a piece of red cloth, on receiving
the cloth, packed it in a basket with the cloak, which he refused to
give up, and made off with both cloth and cloak. Among those who were
leaning over the ship's side to hand up the articles purchased from the
natives was Tupia's boy, Tayeto. One of the natives, watching his
opportunity, suddenly seized the boy, and dragging him over, held him
down in the canoe, which made off. The marines on deck were ordered to
fire, and to aim at the end of the canoe farthest away from the boy.
One of the natives was seen to fall, when the other let go his hold of
Tayeto, who leaped overboard and swam to the ship. A boat was lowered,
and he was taken up unhurt, but dreadfully frightened. The canoes made
towards the shore, and it was observed that three men were lifted out of
them, either killed or badly wounded.

In this instance the natives actually deserved the punishment they
received. Captain Cook called the headland off which this circumstance
occurred Cape Kidnappers. When Tayeto recovered