But as I had no suspicion, at this time, of their design, I imagined that some sudden fright had seized them, which would, as usual, soon be over.  Finding themselves disappointed as to me, they fixed on those who were more in their power.  It was fortunate for all parties that they did not succeed, and not less fortunate that no mischief was done on the occasion; for not a musket was fired, except two or three to stop the canoes.  To that firing, perhaps, Messrs Clerke and Gore owed their safety;[1] for, at that very instant, a party of the natives, armed with clubs, were advancing toward them, and, on hearing the report of the muskets, they dispersed.

[Footnote 1:  Perhaps they owed their safety principally to Captain Clerke’s walking with a pistol in his hand, which he once fired.  This circumstance is omitted both in Captain Cook’s and Mr Andersen’s journal, but it is here mentioned on the authority of Captain King.—­D.]

This conspiracy, as it may be called, was first discovered by a girl, whom one of the officers had brought from Huaheine.  She, overhearing some of the Ulieteans say, that they would seize Captain Clerke and Mr Gore, ran to acquaint the first of our people that she met with.  Those who were charged with the execution of the design threatened to kill her as soon as we should leave the island, for disappointing them.  Being aware of this, we contrived that her friends should come, some days after, and take her out of the ship, to convey her to a place of safety, where she might lie concealed till they should have an opportunity of sending her back to Huaheine.

On the 27th, our observatories were taken down, and every thing we had ashore carried on board; the moorings of the ships were cast off, and we transported them a little way down the harbour, where they came to an anchor again.  Toward the afternoon the natives began to shake off their fears, gathering round and on board the ships as usual, and the awkward transactions of the day before seemed to be forgotten on both sides.

The following night the wind blew in hard squalls from S. to E. attended with heavy showers of rain.  In one of the squalls, the cable by which the Resolution was riding, parted just without the hawse.  We had another anchor ready to let go, so that the ship was presently brought up again.  In the afternoon the wind became moderate, and we hooked the end of the best small bower-cable, and got it again into the hawse.

Oreo, the chief, being uneasy, as well as myself, that no account had been received from Bolabola, set out this evening for that island, and desired me to follow him the next day with the ships.  This was my intention, but the wind would not admit of our getting to sea.  But the same wind which kept us in the harbour, brought Oreo back from Bolabola, with the two deserters.  They had reached Otaha the same night they deserted; but, finding it impossible to get to any of the islands to the eastward (which