cidents and deaths
which had made such cruel havoc amongst my friends, and notwithstanding
my sincere grief and regret for the fate of poor George, who was a most
humane and intelligent chief, and particularly kind to all the English;
the predicament in which I was now placed demanded all my energies, for I
felt that I stood in a situation of great danger.

I have before noticed their barbarous custom, on the death of a chief, of
plundering his family and friends. As we had always been considered as a
part of George's family, living under his protection, adopted by him,
and admitted into his tribe, I entertained great suspicions that we also
should be sufferers by the general plunder about to take place: besides,
I was so circumstanced as to be obliged to cross the country with all my
goods, and my route lay through the territories of all those chiefs who
had been fighting against George; and I was at no loss to guess in what
light they would regard me. Depending, too securely, on the general
tranquility, I had not sent my luggage by sea, as I might have done, and
which would have saved me great anxiety, as I should have ventured alone
without fear, but could not manage to carry what I possessed; and to
engage any to convey them was an impossibility, for the moment I made the
proposition to any (even the meanest of the slaves) to accompany me, they
ran off into the bush, nor could any entreaty, presents, or threats
induce them to venture with me; so, for security, I removed all the
property I had, and went with it on board the Marianne, whaler.

For three days after the death of George, all gave themselves up to
grief; no work was done, and not an individual was to be seen but in an
agony of tears. I began to feel strangely affected with melancholy
myself, when, on the fourth morning, a scene of bustle took place, and
low spirits were banished by tumult, noise, and confusion.

At six o'clock on that morning we discovered upwards of twenty sail of
war canoes, crowded with armed warriors, coming into the bay. What their
intentions were we could not imagine; but for fear of the worst, the
ships in the harbour shotted their guns, and when the canoes were abreast
of us, we fired a blank one over their heads. On this they all stopped,
and we saw some stir amongst them: at length a very small canoe left the
main body, and pulled directly towards us; it contained the chief persons
of the expedition: they came on board, and ass