We Sailed
Again Next Day, And Came To A River Five Or Six Leagues To The Northward
Of Cape Prato, Where The Wind Became Again Contrary, With Thick Fogs, By
Which We Were Obliged On The 14th To Take Shelter In The River, Where We
Remained Till The 16th.
On that day, the wind became so boisterous that
one of our ships lost an anchor, and we had to run 7 or 8 leagues up the
river for shelter, where we found a good harbour, in which we remained
till the 25th July.
While there, we saw many of the savages fishing for
mackerel, of which they caught great numbers. They had about 40 boats or
canoes, and after some time they became so familiar with us as to come
with their canoes to our ships in perfect confidence receiving knives,
combs, glass-beads, and other trifles from us, for which they were
exceedingly thankful, lifting up their hands to heaven, and dancing and
singing in their boats. These people may truly be called savages, as
they are the poorest wretches that can be imagined; as the value of
every thing they had among them all, besides their canoes and nets, was
not worth five farthings. They go entirely naked, except their parts of
shame, over which they had small pieces of skin; besides which they only
had a few old pieces of skin to shelter their bodies from the weather.
They differ entirely both in language and appearance from those we had
seen before. Their heads are close shaven, except one lock on the crown,
as long as a horse tail, which they bind up into a knot with leather
thongs. Their only dwelling-places are their boats or canoes turned keel
upwards, under which they sleep on the bare ground. They eat their fish
and flesh almost raw, only heating it a little on the embers. We went
freely on shore among these people, who seemed much pleased with our
company, all the men singing and dancing around, in token of joy; but
they made all their women retire into a wood at some distance, two or
three excepted, to each of whom we gave a comb and a small tin bell,
with which they were much delighted, shewing their gratitude to our
captain by rubbing his breast and arms with their hands. The reception
of these presents occasioned all the other women to return from the
wood, that they likewise might participate; for which purpose they
surrounded the captain, to the number of about twenty, touching and
rubbing him with their hands, as soliciting him for such trinkets as he
had given the others. He accordingly gave each of them a small bell, on
which they all fell a singing and dancing. We here found great
quantities of mackerel, which they take on the shore by means of nets
which they construct of a species of hemp. This grows in the part of the
country where they principally reside, as they come only to the sea side
during the fishing season. So far as I could understand, they have
likewise a kind of millet, or grain, as large as pease, like the maize
which grows in Brasil, which serves them instead of bread. Of this they
have great abundance, and it is called kapaige in their language. They
have also a kind of damsin plumbs, which they call famesta. They
possess likewise, figs, nuts, apples, and other fruits, and beans which
they call sahu; their name for nuts is cahehya. When we shewed them
any thing which they had not or were unacquainted with, they used to
shake their heads, saying nohda! nohda! implying their ignorance or
want of that article. Of those things which they had, they explained to
us by signs how they grew, and in what manner they used to dress them
for food. They use no salt, and are very great thieves, stealing every
thing they could lay their hands on.
On the 24th of July, we made a great cross thirty feet high, which we
erected on a point at the entrance of our harbour, on which we hung up a
shield with three flowers de luce; and inscribed the cross with this
motto, Vive le roy de France. When this was finished in presence of
all the natives, we all knelt down before the cross, holding up our
hands to heaven, and praising God. We then endeavoured to explain to
these savages by means of signs, that all our salvation depended only on
him who dwelleth in the heavens; at which they shewed much admiration,
looking at one another, and then at the cross. After our return to the
ships, their chief came off in a canoe accompanied by his brother and
two sons. Keeping at an unusual distance, he stood up in the canoe,
where he made a long oration, pointing frequently to our cross, and
making a cross with his two fingers; he then pointed out to all the
country round about, as if shewing that all was his, and that we must
not erect any more crosses without his leave. When he concluded his
speech, we shewed him an axe, making him believe that we would give it
to him for an old bears skin which he wore; on which he gradually came
near our ship, and one of our men who was in the boat along side, took
hold of their canoe; into which he, and three or four more of our men
leapt, and obliged them all to come on board our ship, to their great
astonishment and dismay. Our captain immediately used every means to
assure them of being in perfect safety, and entertained them in a
friendly manner, giving them to eat and drink. After this, we
endeavoured to explain to them by signs, that the sole use of the cross
we had erected was to serve as a land mark for finding out the harbour,
and that we should soon return to them with great plenty of iron wares
and other commodities; but that in the mean time we would take two of
his sons along with us, whom we would bring back again to the same
place.
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