anned, were making towards the ship's bow, having
probably taken notice that no shot had been fired from this part: I
therefore ordered some guns forward, to be well pointed and fired at
these canoes; at the same time running out two guns abaft, and pointing
them well at the canoes that were making the attack. Among the canoes
that were coming toward the bow, there was one which appeared to have
some chief on board, as it was by signals made from her that the others
had been called together: It happened that a shot, fired from the guns
forward, hit this canoe so full as to cut it asunder. As soon as this
was observed by the rest, they dispersed with such haste that in half an
hour there was not a single canoe to be seen; the people also who had
crowded the shore, immediately fled over the hills with the utmost
precipitation.

Having now no reason to fear any further interruption, we warped the
ship up the harbour, and by noon, we were not more than half a mile from
the upper part of the bay, within less than two cables' length of a fine
river, and about two and a half of the reef. We had here nine fathom
water, and close to the shore there were five. We moored the ship, and
carried out the stream-anchor, with the two shroud-hawsers, for a
spring, to keep the ship's broadside abreast of the river; we also got
up and mounted the eight guns which had been put into the hold. As soon
as this was done, the boats were employed in sounding all around the
bay, and in examining the shore where any of the inhabitants appeared,
in order to discover, whether it was probable that they would give us
any further disturbance. All the afternoon, and part of the next
morning, was spent in this service; and about noon, the master returned,
with a tolerable survey of the place, and reported, that there were no
canoes in sight; that there was good landing on every part of the beach;
that there was nothing in the bay from which danger could be
apprehended, except the reef, and some rocks at the upper end, which
appeared above water; and that the river, though it emptied itself on
the other side of the point, was fresh water.

Soon after the master had brought me this account, I sent Mr Furneaux
again, with all the boats manned and armed, the marines being also put
on board, with orders to land opposite to our station, and secure
himself, under cover of the boats and the ship, in the clearest ground
he could find. About two o'clock the boats