Cocas, or Boscawen island, is in 16 deg. 32' S. and long.
169 deg. 35' W. The other island mentioned in the text, Traitors, or Keppel
island, is a few leagues S.S.W. from Cocos. - E.]
[Footnote 117: These ships must have been large double canoes. - E.]
[Footnote 118: These ubes-roots were perhaps the same that are called
eddoes by modern navigators among the South Sea islands. - E.]
The boat was now sent to the other island to see for a more convenient
place in which to anchor; but she was presently beset by a vast number
of canoes filled with a mad sort of people, armed with clubs, who
boarded the boat and attacked the Dutchmen. On firing their muskets, the
savages laughed at them for making so much noise and doing so little
hurt; but, on the next discharge, one of them being shot through the
breast, they learnt to pay more respect to the muskets, and to keep
their due distance for the future. The savages were lusty,
well-proportioned men, and most expert swimmers, but naked and thievish,
and very fantastical in the fashion of their hair, some having it
short, others long, some curled, and others plaited or folded up in
various forms.
On the 12th the savages came again in their canoes, laden with cocoas,
bananas, ubes-roots, hogs, and fresh water, contending violently who
should get first on board.
