Sep 10, 1792 Home Providence Log Sep 12, 1792
Revised Aug 27 2021
1 pm: Fresh Breezes and fine Weather. Assistant made the Signal for Assistance Saw them firing, some large Cannoes. Had three Men wounded. Some large Cannoes were about us and discharged some Arrows. Fired at them upon which they dispersed. I suppose several were killed. One Man we saw not able to Swim away. Cannoe bloody.
5 pm: Steered between O and P and at 4 OClock 
under O or Dungyness Island in 10 fathoms Coarse bottom. A Shole N29°E 1 Mile. Island
P N61°E to N66°E 3 or 4 Miles Dungyness Island S64°E to S10°E, off Shore
1 Mile. The long Flat Island on with the South extreme. Turtle Back Island S54°W to S60°W
3 Leagues. A Small high lump called the Cap S86°W 4 Leagues and an Island with two Hills
called the Brothers N80°W 5 or 6 Leagues. Down Top Gallant Yards & in Boats.
Situation of this Anchoring Place 9°..48′ South
Longitude 142..51 East
4 am: Out Boats and up Top Gallant Yards, it was ½ past 9 before the Assistant could get her Anchor having hooked a Rock and Mr. Portlock informed me he had lost One at Dungyness. Sailed the Assistant and Boats a head Sounding. I ordered Lieut. Portlock to lead round to the Northward of the Brothers.
10 am: At 10 hour..50′ Saw a high lump of an Island like Maitea N43°W, called it Q. Turtle Backed Island bore true South and we had 9 to 11 fathoms.
12 noon: Fair Weather and Smooth Water. The Brothers S71°W 4 Miles. The Cap S9°W
5 Miles. Turtle Backed S19°E 3 Leagues. Dungyness Island SEbE¼E about 5 or 6 Leagues.
Island Q N35°W.
Assistant and Boats a head. Our Water Shoaling.
We were not long under Sail before we saw the Cannoes that were about Dungyness and Island P, nine in number from 8 to 20 Men in each, paddling towards the Ships. Some went towards the Assistant but the strongest party came to us, and made signs that Water and Food was to be had at Island P. A word they generally made us of, was, Wabbah Wabbah, pointing to their belly and holding up a Bamboo which I considered was for the use of holding Water. They expressed great astonishment at the Ship and at the Men at the Mast heads, and altho we offered them ropes they would not come along side, but showed a distrust and design. I was just considering the amount of all these symptoms when I saw the Assistant fire at some Cannoes, (as did our Cutter,) and alarmed me by the Signal she made for Assistance. It was now known the Cannoes had made an Attack, and those about us were intending to do the same. I knew mischief was done by these Wretches to our poor little Companion and some Arrows were fired at us. It was now not a time to trifle, my Ships might be on Shore in a few minutes without active and carefull conduct to prevent it, and it remained a serious point who were to be masters of this Neighbourhood. I settled it immediately by discharging two of the Quarter Deck Guns with round and Grape. The Contents of one carried destruction with it, and horrible consternation. They fled from their Cannoes into the Sea and Swam to Windward like Porpoises.
Great Fires were made on Island P where we saw about 100 Persons. We passed between O and P a good Channel of 2 or 3 Miles, and leaving a small Reef to the Northward of us, Anchored under Island
O for the Night. The Island O or Dungyness Island is a rocky spot on which the Natives do not reside, prefering the Sandy Islands on account of Fishing. It has a narrow border of Rocks that surround this side, within which is a kind of lagoon, about the Shore are mangroves, and within, the Wood is prodigiously thick. Saw Curlieius and Birds, White with their Wings tip'd black, as large as Pelicans.
It appeared to me as the Stream of the Tide had run to Northward of West, that our Course should be directed that way, I therefore Weighed and Steered to go round the Brothers, the Assistant with the Boats a head leading.
Our Soundings shortned which was not a very pleasant circumstance, yet at Noon all seemed clear.
Sep 10, 1792 Home Providence Log Sep 12, 1792