We had now time to enquire ^consider how the quadrant was Stoln.  It is very probable that the man who took it had seen the box brought into the Tent or else had been well inform'd by others and had from that moment resolved to steal it, for about sunset last night a man was seen crawling a long the bank of the River behind the Fort, but on being spoken to he went away.   however it is very clear that he was watching for an opportunity to get into the Fort in the dusk of the evening before the centinals were call'd in and while the most of our people, after leaving of work, were diverting themselves with the natives.  however my self and some others were never out of the Fort and I did not stir out of the Tent where the quad^t was till Sun set, then walk'd several times round the Inside of the Fort after which I went into M^r Banks's Markee and order'd the Drumer to beat the tattoo  in the doing of which he went 3 times round the works yet in one of these Short intervals when either mine or the drumers back turn'd the man found means to carry off the Box for immidiately after _^ ^upon beating the Tattoo every boddy came into the Fort, the centinals call'd and place'd in the inside when it wold have been impossible for him to have done it. Indeed we found it difficult to beleive that a naked Indian, frighten'd of f[i]rearms as they are, would have made such an attemp'd at the certain risk of his life

Voyaging Accounts