He went himself in pursuit of the deserter, who, after some evasion on the part of the inhabitants, was surrendered.

He was found sitting between two women, with the musket lying before him; and all the defence he was able to make was, that he had been enticed away by the natives.

As this account was probably the truth, and as it appeared besides, that he had remained upon his post till within ten minutes of the time when he was to have been relieved, the punishment which the captain inflicted upon him was not very severe.
Some days after, a still more troublesome affair happened, of the same nature.

On the morning of the 24th, the captain was informed that a midshipman and a seaman, both belonging to the Discovery, were missing; and it soon appeared, that they had gone away in a canoe in the preceding evening, and had now reached the other end of the island.

As the midshipman was known to have expressed a desire of remaining at these islands, it was evident, that he and his companion had gone off with that intention.