About eight o’clock, Mr. Banks with Tubourai Tamaide got back to the fort; when, to his great surprize, he found Tootahah in custody, and many of the natives in the utmost terror and distress, crowding about the gate. He went hastily in, some of the Indians were suffered to follow him, and the scene was extremely affecting. Tubourai Tamaide pressing forward, ran up to Tootahah, and catching him in his arms, they both burst into tears, and wept over each other, without being able to speak: the other Indians were also in tears for their Chief, both he and they being strongly possessed with the notion that he was to be put to death. In this situation they continued till I entered the fort, which was about a quarter of an hour afterwards. I was equally surprized and concerned at what had happened, the confining Tootahah being contrary to my orders, and therefore instantly set him at liberty. Upon enquiring into the affair, I was told, that my going into the woods with a party of men under arms, at a time when a robbery had been committed, which it was supposed I should resent, in proportion to our apparent injury by the loss, had so alarmed the natives, that in the evening they began to leave the neighbourhood of the fort with their effects; that a double canoe having been seen to put off from the bottom of the bay by Mr. Gore, the Second Lieutenant, who was left in command on board the ship, and who had received orders not to suffer any canoe to go out, he sent the Boatswain with a boat after her to bring her back: that as soon as the boat came up, the Indians, being alarmed, leaped into the sea; and that Tootahah, being unfortunately one of the number, the Boatswain took him up, and brought him to the ship, suffering the rest of the people to swim on shore: that Mr. Gore, not sufficiently attending to the order that none of the people should be confined, had sent him to the fort, and Mr. Hicks, the First Lieutenant, who commanded there, receiving him in charge from Gore, did not think himself at liberty to dismiss him.

Voyaging Accounts