Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 2.djvu/164

142 1701. Fchiiiarv.

of the inhabitants, who, being fearful of their guns, did not molefl: thein. Some of the natives however endeavoured to prevent their reaching a point, that was nearly furrounded by water, from whence being near to the (hip, they were in hopes of effefting their purpofe. In accomplifh- ing this. Young was obliged to ftrike one man with the but of his piece, (for they did not like to fire) and unfortunately broke its flock. They liad not long been here before the king arrived in his canoe, attended by many odiers. Tamaahmaah very difpaflionately advifed them to return from whence they had come ; and faid, that he would do any thing they could wifh to render their lives more comfortable, but that he could not confent they fhould leave the ifland ; afTuring them that his people would rebel, and put him to death, the inflant they took their departure. Tianna, who was prefent, feemed to be of a different opinion ; and of- fered to take Young and Davis on board Captain Colnett's veffel, in his own canoe. But the king, well knowing that Tianna only wanted to ac- complifli their deflru6lion, immediately interpofed ; and in. the kindeft and mofl perfuafive manner requefled they would on no account accept Tianna offer, but that they would return in his canoe with him. The confidence they repofed in Tamaahmaah, that they fliould be fubjeft to no inconvenience in confequence of their attempt to efcape, and the earneflnefs with which he folicited them to go back with him, at length had the defired effeft, and they both embarked on board his canoe. Davis war in the fore part, and Young in the after part of the canoe, when they were boarded by many others ; and Tamaahmaah, obferving fome violence was likely to be offered to Davis, went forward to refcue him, and to prevent any accident took Davis's mufket away from him ; in the mean time many of the natives fell upon Young, who received fevcral wounds before the king could return to his adiftance, who was obliged to ftrike fevcral of them with his paddle before they would defift. After this projeft was defeated. Young and Davis were never fuffered to be both afloat at the fame time until our arrival : and they were given to underftand, that the efcape of the one would be fatal to the other. This feemed to be a very political meafure, as the intereft they had