fires were made, and places fixed on for their stay during the night.
Consultations were also held among them, and everything assured me we
should be attacked. I sent orders to the master that, when he saw us
coming down, he should keep the boat close to the shore, that we might
the more readily embark.

The sun was near setting when I gave the word, on which every person who
was on shore with me boldly took up his proportion of things and carried
them to the boat. The chiefs asked me if I would not stay with them all
night. I said "No, I never sleep out of my boat; but in the morning we
will again trade with you, and I shall remain till the weather is
moderate, that we may go, as we have agreed, to see Poulaho, at
Tongataboo." Macca-ackavow then got up and said, "You will not sleep on
shore, then, Mattie?" (which directly signifies, we will kill you); and
he left me. The onset was now preparing: every one, as I have described
before, kept knocking stones together; and Eefow quitted me. All but two
or three things were in the boat, when we walked down the beach, every
one in a silent kind of horror. We all got into the boat, except one
man, who, while I was getting on board, quitted it, and ran up the beach
to cast the stern-fast off, notwithstanding the master and others called
to him to return, while they were hauling me out of the water.

I was no sooner in the boat than the attack began by about two hundred
men; the unfortunate poor man who had run up the beach was knocked down,
and the stones flew like a shower of shot. Many Indians got hold of the
stern 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. We then hauled off to the grapnel, every one being
more or less hurt. At this time I saw five of the natives about the poor
man they had killed, and two of them were beating him about the head with