Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/136

78 more hogs, etc., than when we had last visited them, supposing it probable that some at least had been driven away on our arrival. This in particular tempted us to go, with many other circumstances, although an old man (an Indian well known to the Dolphin's crew) attempted by many signs to hinder us from going into the woods; the tent was left in charge of a midshipman with the marines, thirteen in number. We marched away, and were absent about two hours. Shortly before we came back we heard several musket shots. Our old man immediately called us together, and, by waving his hand, sent away every Indian who followed us except three, every one of whom took in their hands a green bough; on this we suspected that some mischief had happened at the tent, and hastened home with all expedition. On our arrival we found that an Indian had snatched a sentry's musket from him unawares and run off. The midshipman (may be) imprudently ordered the marines to fire, which they did, into the thickest of the flying crowd, some hundreds in number, and pursuing the man who had stolen the musket, killed him. Whether any others were killed or hurt no one could tell. No Indian was now to be seen about the tent except our old man, who with us took all pains to reconcile them again before night. By his means we got together a few of them, and explaining to them that the man who had suffered was guilty of a crime deserving of death (for so were we forced to make it), we retired to the ship, not well pleased with the day's expedition, guilty, no doubt, in some measure of the death of a man whom the most severe laws of equity would not have condemned to so severe a punishment.

16th. No canoes about the ship this morning, indeed we could not expect any, as it is probable that the news of our behaviour yesterday was now known everywhere, a circumstance which doubtless will not increase the confidence of our friends the Indians. We were rather surprised that the Dolphin's old man, who seemed yesterday so desirous of making peace, did not come on board to-day. Some few people were upon the beach, but very few in proportion to