tify our
people as well as we could, and to convince the Indians that if they did
no wrong to us, we should do no wrong to them: they went away without
any appearance of distrust or resentment; and having struck our tent, we
returned to the ship, but by no means satisfied with the transactions of
the day.

Upon questioning our people more particularly, whose conduct they soon
perceived we could not approve, they alleged that the centinel whose
musket was taken away, was violently assaulted and thrown down, and that
a push was afterwards made at him by the man who took the musket, before
any command was given to fire. It was also suggested, that Owhaw had
suspicions, at least, if not certain knowledge, that something would be
attempted against our people at the tent, which made him so very earnest
in his endeavours to prevent our leaving it; others imputed his
importunity to his desire that we should confine ourselves to the beach:
and it was remarked that neither Owhaw, nor the chiefs who remained with
us after he had sent the rest of the people away, would have inferred
the breach of peace from the firing at the tent, if they had had no
reason to suspect that some injury had been offered by their
countrymen; especially as Mr Banks had just fired at the ducks: And yet
that they did infer a breach of peace from that incident, was manifest
from their waving their hands for the people to disperse, and instantly
pulling green branches from the trees. But what were the real
circumstances of this unhappy affair, and whether either, and which of
these conjectures were true, could never certainly be known.

The next morning but few of the natives were seen upon the beach, and
not one of them came off to the ship. This convinced us that our
endeavours to quiet their apprehensions had not been effectual; and we
remarked with particular regret, that we were deserted even by Owhaw,
who had hitherto been so constant in his attachment, and so active in
renewing the peace that had been broken.

Appearances being thus unfavourable, I warped the ship nearer to the
shore, and moored her in such a manner as to command all the N.E. part
of the bay, particularly the place which I had marked out for the
building a fort. In the evening, however, I went on shore with only a
boat's crew, and some of the gentlemen: The natives gathered about us,
but not in the same number as before; there were I believe between
thirty and forty, and they traf