asked them to lay
down their arms, but they would not consent to do so. The river still
lay between the two parties, and Cook invited the natives to come over
and trade. They were unwilling at first, but in a short time one,
bolder than the rest, stripped himself and swam over without his arms.
He was immediately followed by two or three more, and soon after by most
of the others. These last, however, brought their arms with them.

Presents of iron and beads were now made to the savages, but they seemed
to care little for these things, and in a few minutes they attempted to
snatch the arms out of the sailors' hands. In this they failed, and
Cook ordered Tupia to tell them that if they tried to do that again, he
would be compelled to kill them. In a few minutes Mr Green, one of the
gentlemen, happened to turn about; immediately one of them snatched away
his sword and ran to a little distance, waving it round his head with a
shout of triumph. Seeing this, the rest became extremely insolent, and
more savages came to join them from the other side of the river. It
therefore became necessary to check them, and Mr Banks fired with
small-shot at the man who had taken the sword. The shot had only the
effect of stopping his shouts and causing him to retire a little farther
off, still flourishing the sword, however. Seeing this, Mr Monkhouse
fired with ball, and the man dropt instantly. Upon this the main body
of the natives, who had retired to a rock in the middle of the river,
began to return. Two that were near the man who had been killed ran to
the body, and one seized his weapon of green talc, while the other tried
to secure the sword, but Mr Monkhouse ran up in time to prevent this.
Three muskets loaded with small-shot were then fired at the party, which
wounded several, and caused them to retire to the opposite side of the
river, after which Cook returned to the ship.

This was a matter of great disappointment to the voyagers, because they
were much in want of fresh water. Cook now resolved to seize some of
the natives if possible, and prove to them, by kind treatment, that they
had nothing to fear. Soon after he had an opportunity of trying this
plan. Two canoes were seen coming in from sea; one under sail, the
other worked by paddles. Taking three boats full of men he gave chase
to them; but the people in the nearest canoe perceived them, and turning
aside made with all possible haste for a point of land a