Series 03: Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 (vol. 2) - No. 0045
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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