He Returned On Board Towards Night,
Without Having Seen Any People, Though Their Tracks Were Quite Recent In
Several Places.
He left some beads and other trifles in a canoe, to
allure the natives.
In his opinion we had small chance here of any
refreshments; but my fishers from the other side of the bay told me of
having seen great store of beasts bones, and bones certainly have once
had flesh. George Evans, one of the Hector's men, was severely bitten by
an alegarta, [alligator.] I gave orders to fill our water casks with
all speed, and propose in the mean time to seek for refreshment. The
tide flows here nearest east,[161] and rises high. The 21st we saw
four natives, to whom I sent some beads and other baubles, making them
understand by signs that we were in want of cattle, when they promised
in the same manner to bring plenty next day. Seeing people on shore next
day, I went a-land, and found them a subtle people, strong-built and
well-made, almost entirely naked, except a cloth of bark carelessly hung
before them. We bought a calf, a sheep, and a lamb, but they would only
deal for silver. In the afternoon I rowed up the river, which I found
shallow and brackish. The 24th we bought three kine, two steers, and
four calves, which cost us about nineteen shillings and a few beads.
These cattle have far better flesh than those we got at Saldanha, and
have bunches of flesh on their shoulders, like camels, only more
forward. Some affirmed that the people were circumcised. We here found
the beautiful beast.[162]
[Footnote 161: As the bay of St Augustine, in lat. 23 deg. 30' S. is on the
west coast of Madagascar, where the coast is direct N. and S. the
current of the tide could not set from the east. The expression in the
text, therefore, probably means that it is high-water when the moon is
nearly east. - E.]
[Footnote 162: This seems to refer to some creature then in the ship,
and perhaps brought home with them to England. Astl. I. 316. a. - Mr
Finch says, there were in the woods, near the river, great store of
beasts, as big as monkies, of an ash colour, having a small head, a long
tail like a fox, barred with black and white, and having very fine
fur. - E.]
Where we rode at anchor the water by the ship's side was very fresh at
high water, and very salt at low water, contrary to what might have been
expected; and at high water it was very fresh on one side of the ship,
and very salt on the other. In a gust of wind at N.W. on the 25th, our
ship drifted and broke a cable, by which we lost the anchor. We bought
this day a calf, a sheep, and a lamb, the sheep having a great tail; all
three costing us 2s. 3d. I found certain spiders, whose webs were as
strong as silk.
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