We immediately set about getting the ship ready for sea as fast as possible; erected our tents; sent the cooper on shore to repair the casks; and began to unstow the hold, to get at the bread that was in butts; but on opening them found a great quantity of it entirely spoiled, and most part so damaged, that we were obliged to fix our copper oven on shore to bake it over again, which undoubtedly delayed us a considerable time.  Whilst we lay here, the inhabitants came on board as before, supplying us with fish, and other things of their own manufacture, which we bought of them for nails, &c. and appeared very friendly, though twice in the middle of the night they came to the tent, with an intention to steal; but were discovered before they could get any thing into their possession.

On the 17th of December, having refitted the ship, completed our water and wood, and got every thing ready for sea, we sent our large cutter, with Mr Rowe, a midshipman, and the boat’s crew, to gather wild greens for the ship’s company; with orders to return that evening, as I intended to sail the next morning.  But on the boat’s not returning the same evening, nor the next morning, being under great uneasiness about her, I hoisted out the launch, and sent her with the second lieutenant, Mr Burney, manned with the boat’s crew and ten marines, in search of her.  My orders to Mr Burney were first, to look well into East Bay, and then to proceed to Grass Cove, the place to which Mr Rowe had been sent; and if he heard nothing of the boat there, to go farther up the sound, and come back along the west shore.  As Mr Rowe had left the ship an hour before the time proposed, and in a great hurry, I was strongly persuaded that his curiosity had carried him into East Bay, none in our ship having ever been there; or else, that some accident had happened to the boat, either by going adrift through the boat-keeper’s negligence, or by being stove among the rocks.  This was almost every body’s opinion; and on this supposition, the carpenter’s mate was sent in the launch, with some sheets of tin.  I had not the least suspicion that our people had received any injury from the natives, our boats having frequently been higher up, and worse provided.  How much I was mistaken, too soon appeared; for Mr Burney having returned about eleven o’clock the same night, made his report of a horrible scene indeed, which cannot be better described than in his own words, which now follow.

“On the 18th, we left the ship; and having a light breeze in our favour, we soon got round Long Island, and within Long Point.  I examined every cove, on the larboard hand, as we went along, looking well all around with a spy-glass, which I took for that purpose.  At half past one, we stopped at a beach on the left-hand side going up East Bay, to boil some victuals, as we brought nothing but raw meat with us.  Whilst we were cooking, I saw an Indian on the opposite shore, running along a beach to the head of the bay.  Our meat being drest, we got into the boat and put off; and, in a short time, arrived at the head of this reach, where we saw an Indian settlement.”