one, with which I staid, having a good many of the natives about me, who
behaved with their usual courtesy. I made them so sensible of my intention,
that long before the marines came, Mr Clerke's musket was brought; but they
used many excuses to divert me from insisting on the other. At length Mr
Edgcumbe arriving with the marines, this alarmed them so much, that some
fled. The first step I took was to seize on two large double sailing
canoes, which were in the cove. One fellow making resistance, I fired some
small shot at him, and sent him limping off. The natives being now
convinced that I was in earnest, all fled; but on my calling to them, many
returned; and, presently after, the other musket was brought, and laid down
at my feet. That moment, I ordered the canoes to be restored, to shew them
on what account they were detained. The other things we had lost being of
less value, I was the more indifferent about them. By this time the launch
was ashore for another turn of water, and we were permitted to fill the
casks without any one daring to come near us; except one man, who had
befriended us during the whole affair, and seemed to disapprove of the
conduct of his countrymen.

On my returning from the pond to the cove, I found a good many people
collected together, from whom we understood that the man I had fired at was
dead. This story I treated as improbable, and addressed a man, who seemed
of some consequence, for the restitution of a cooper's adze we had lost in
the morning. He immediately sent away two men, as I thought, for it; but I
soon found that we had greatly mistaken each other; for instead of the
adze, they brought the wounded man, stretched out on a board, and laid him
down by me, to all appearance dead. I was much moved at the sight; but soon
saw my mistake, and that he was only wounded in the hand and thigh. I,
therefore, desired he might be carried out of the sun, and sent for the
surgeon to dress his wounds. In the mean time, I addressed several people
for the adze; for as I had now nothing else to do, I determined to have it.
The one I applied the most to, was an elderly woman, who had always a great
deal to say to me, from my first landing; but, on this occasion, she gave
her tongue full scope. I understood but little of her eloquence; and all I
could gather from her arguments was, that it was mean in me to insist on
the return of so trifling a thing. But when she found I was determined, she
and th