As soon us this order was executed, I returned on shore; and our former confidence in the natives being now much abated, by the events of the day, I posted a double guard on the morai, with orders to call me, if they saw any men lurking about the beach.  At about eleven o’clock, five islanders were observed creeping round the bottom of the morai; they seemed very cautious in approaching us; and at last, finding themselves discovered, retired out of sight.  About midnight, one of them venturing up close to the observatory, the sentinel fired over him; on which the men, fled, and we passed the remainder of the night without farther disturbance.

Next morning, at day-light, I went on board the Resolution for the time-keeper; and, in my way, was hailed by the Discovery, and informed, that their cutter had been stolen, during the night, from the buoy where it was moored.

When I arrived on board, I found the marines arming, and Captain Cook loading his double-barrelled gun.  Whilst I was relating to him what had happened to us in the night, he interrupted me, with some eagerness, and acquainted me with the loss of the Discovery’s cutter, and with the preparations he was making for its recovery.  It had been his usual practice, whenever any thing of consequence was lost at any of the islands in this ocean, to get the king, or some of the principal Erees, on board, and to keep them as hostages, till it was restored.  This method, which had been always attended with success, he meant to pursue on the present occasion; and, at the same time, had given orders to stop all the canoes that should attempt to leave the bay, with an intention of seizing and destroying them, if he could not recover the cutter by peaceable means.  Accordingly, the boats of both ships, well manned and armed, were stationed across the bay; and, before I left the ship, some great guns had been fired at two large canoes that were attempting to make their escape.

It was between seven and eight o’clock when we quitted the ship together; Captain Cook in the pinnace, having Mr Phillips and nine marines with him; and myself in the small boat.  The last orders I received from him, were, to quiet the minds of the natives on our side of the bay, by assuring them they should not be hurt; to keep my people together, and to be on my guard.  We then parted; the captain went toward Kowrowa, where the king resided; and I proceeded to the beach.  My first care, on going ashore, was to give strict orders to the marines to remain within the tent; to load their pieces with ball, and not to quit their arms.  Afterward I took a walk to the huts of old Kaoo and the priests, and explained to them, as well as I could, the object of the hostile preparations, which had exceedingly alarmed them.  I found that they had already heard of the cutter’s being stolen; and I assured them, that though Captain Cook was resolved to recover it, and to punish the authors of the theft, yet that