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[Page 45]

41.
Octr. 1769   Hawks bay

shore  this manoevre was not to be disregarded  the canoes were large  we judgd that they could not contain less than 150 people  every one armd with a sharp pike of hard wood & their little hand instrument calld patoopatoo  were they to attempt any thing daring there could not fail to be a dreadfull slaughter among such a croud of naked men were we nesscesitated to fire among them  it was therefore though proper to fire a gun over their heads as the effect of that would probably prevent any designs they might have formd from being put into execution  they were by this time within 100 yards of the ship singing their war song & threatning with their pikes  the gun was levelld a little before their first boat & had the desird effect  for no sooner had they seen the grape which scatterd very far upon the water than they paddled away in great haste  we all calld out that we were freinds if they would only lay down their arms They did so & returnd to the ship  one boat came close under the quarter & taking off his Jacket offerd it to sale  but before any body had time to bid for it she dropd astern as did the rest  refusing to come to the ship again because they were

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