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would not stay, violently loofed himself from my hold, and ran off, and we all got into the boat except one man, who, while I was getting on board, quitted it, and with undaunted bravery ran up the beach to caft the ftern-faft off, notwithstanding the mafter and others called on him to return, while they were hauling me out of the water.

I was no fooner in the boat than the attack was begun by about two hundred men; the unfortunate failor who had run up the beach was knocked down, and the ftones flew like a shower of shot. Many Indians got hold of the ftern-rope, and were near hauling the boat on shore; which they would certainly have effected, if I had not had a knife in my pocket, with which I cut the rope. At this time I faw five of the natives about the poor man they had killed, and two of them were beating him about the head with stones in their hands.

We had no time to reflect, for, to my surprise, they filled their canoes with ftones, and twelve men came off after us to renew the attack, which they did so effectualas nearly to disable us all. Our grapnel was foul, but fortunately the fluke broke, and we got to our oars, and pulled to fea. They, however, could paddle round us, fo that we were obliged to fuftain the attack without

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being able to return it, except with fuch stones as lodged in the boat, and in this I found we were very inferior to them. We could not close, because our boat was lumbered and heavy, of which they well knew how to take advantage: I therefore adopted the expedient of throwing overboard fome clothes, which, as I expected, they ftopped to pick up; and, as it was by this time almost dark, they gave over the attack, and returned towards the fhore, leaving us to meditate on our unhappy fituation.

The poor man killed by the natives was John NorTON this was his fecond voyage with me as quartermafter, and his worthy character made me lament his lofs very much. He has left an aged parent, I am told, whom he supported.

Taking this as a sample of the difpofition of the natives, there was but little reafon to expect much benefit by perfevering in the intention of visiting Tongataboo ; for I confidered their good behaviour formerly to have proceeded, like that of these people, from a dread of our fire arms, and which, therefore, was likely to cease as foon as they knew we were deftitute of them: and, even supposing they would not destroy us, the boat, and every thing we had which they confidered of value,

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would most probably be taken from us, and thereby all hopes precluded of ever being able to revisit our native country.

We therefore set our fails, and steered along shore by the west fide of the island Tofoa; the wind blowing fresh from the eastward.

My mind was now bufily employed in confidering what was best to be done, when I was folicited by all hands to take them towards home:-and when I told them that no hopes of relief remained for us (except what might be found at New Holland) till I came to TIMOR, a distance of full 1200 leagues, where there was a Dutch settlement, but in what part of the island I knew not,-to effect which, they all agreed to live on one ounce of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water per day. Therefore, after examining our stock of provisions, and recommending to them, in the most folemn manner, not to depart from their promife, we bore away across a fea, where the navigation is but little known, in a small boat, twenty-three feet long from ftem to ftern deep laden with eighteen men. I was happy, however, to fee that every one seemed better satisfied with our fituation than myself.

Our flock of provifions confifted of about one hundred

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and fifty pounds of bread, twenty-eight gallons of water, twenty pounds of pork, three bottles of wine, and five quarts of rum. A few cocoa-nuts were in the boat, and fome bread-fruit, but the latter was trampled to pieces.

It was about eight o'clock at night when we bore away under a reefed lug fore-fail: and, having divided the people into watches, and got the boat in a little order, we returned God thanks for our miraculous preservation, and, fully confident of his gracious fupport, I found my mind more at ease than it had been for fome time paft.

At day-break the gale increased; the fun rofe very fiery and red, a sure indication of a fevere gale of wind. At eight it blew a violent ftorm, and the sea ran very high, so that between the feas the fail was becalmed, and when on the top of the fea it was too much to have set· but we could not venture to take in the fail, for we were in very imminent danger and distress, the fea curled over the ftern of the boat, which obliged us to bale with all our might. A fituation more diftreffing has, perhaps, feldom been experienced.

Our bread was in bags, and likely to be spoiled by the wet: to be ftarved to death was inevitable, if this could

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not be prevented. Fortunately for us we had on board the carpenter's cheft, the tools of which we ftowed at the bottom of the boat, and it became a fit place to fecure this article.

I next began to examine what clothes there were in the boat, and what other things could be spared; and, having determined the quantity to be kept, the reft was thrown overboard, with fome rope and spare fails, which lightened the boat confiderably, and we had more room to bale the water out.

I ferved a tea spoonful of rum to each perfon (for we were very wet and cold), with a quarter of a breadfruit, which was scarce eatable, for dinner :-our engagement was now ftrictly to be carried into execution, and I was fully determined to make our provifions laft eight weeks, let the daily proportion be ever fo fmall.

The weather continued very fevere. The fea ran higher than in the forenoon, and the fatigue of bailing, to keep the boat from filling, was exceedingly great. But among the hardships we were to undergo, that of being constantly wet was not the leaft: the night was very cold, and at day-light our limbs were fo benumbed, that we could fcarce find the use of them. At this

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