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quickly as poffible, and to fend the fails that were repairing on board. Juft at the famemoment our friend Kaireekeea, having alfo received intelligence of the death of Cap-tain Cook , from a native who had arrived from the other fide of the bay, came to mewith great forrow and dejection in his countenance, to enquire if it was true.
Our fituation was at this time extremely critical and important. Not only our ownlives, but the event of the expedition, and the return of at leaft one of the fhips,being involved in the fame common danger. We had the maft of the Refolution,and the greateft part of our fails on fhore, under the protettion of only fix marines :their lofs would have been irreparable ; and though the natives had not as yet fhewnthe fmalleft difpofition to moleft us, yet it was impoffible to anfwer for the alteration,which the news of the tranfadion at Kowrowa might produce. I therefore thoughtit prudent to diffemble my belief of the death of Captain Cook , and to defire Kai-reekeea to difcourage the report, left either the fear of our refentment, or the fucceff-ful example of their countrymen, might lead them to feize the favourable opportunity,which at this time offered itfelf, of giving us a fecond blow. At the fame time, I ad-vifed him to bring old Kaoo, and the reft of the prieft, into a large houfe that wasclofe to the Morai; partly out of regard to their fafety, in cafe it fhould have beenneceffary to proceed to extremities, and partly to have him near us, in order to makeufe of his authority with the people, if it could be inflrumental in preferving peace.
Having placed the marines on the top of the Morai, which formed a ftrong andadvantageous poll, and left the command with Mr. Bligh, giving him the moft politivedirections to ad entirely on the defenlive, I went on beard the Difcovery, in order toreprefent to Captain Clerke the dangerous fituation of our affairs. As foon as I quittedthe fpot, the natives began to annoy our people with ftones ; and I had fcarcely reachedthe fhip, before I heard the firing of the marines. I therefore returned inftantly onfhore, where I found things growing every moment more alarming. The natives werearming, and putting on their mats ; and their numbers increafed very fall. I couldalfo perceive leveral large bodies marching toward us, along the cliff which feparatesthe village of Kakooa from the north fide of the bay where the "village of Kowrowais fituated.
They began at firft to attack us with ftones, from behind the walls of their enclo-fures, and finding no refiftance on our part, they foon grew more daring. A fewrefolute fellows having crept along the beach, under cover of the rocks, fuddenlymade their appearance at the foot of the Morai, with a defign, as it feemed, of ftorm-ing it on the fide next the fea, which was its only acceffible part; and were not dif-lodged till after they had flood a confiderable number of fhot, and feen one of theirparty fall.
The bravery of one of thefe affailants well deferves to be particularly mentioned.For, having returned to carry off. his companion, amidft the fire of our whole party,a wound, which he received, made him quit the body and retire ; but in a few minutes,he again appeared, and being again wounded, he was obliged a fecond time to retreat.At this moment I arrived at the Morai, and faw him return the third time, bleedingand faint; and being informed of what had happened, I forbade the foldiers to fire,and he was fuffered to carry off his friend ; which he was juft able to perform, andthen fell down himfelf, and expired.
About this time a ftrong reinforcement from both ftiips having landed, the nativesretreated behind their walls; which giving me accefs to our friendly priefts, I fent oneof them to endeavour to bring their countrymen to fome terms, and to propofe tothem, that if they would defift from throwing ftones, I would not permit our men to
4 Y 2 fire.