Those Who Were Behind, Being Unable To Get
Over The Throng Of Canoes And Men Before Them, Leapt Into The
Sea, and
diving under the canoes, swam to the ship with bunches of cocoas in
their mouths, and climbed up
The side like so many rats, and in such
swarms that the Dutch had to keep them off with cudgels. The Dutch
bartered with them that day for so many cocoas, as to produce twelve for
each of their men, being eighty-five in number. The natives wondered
much at the size and strength of the Dutch ship; and some of them even
dived under her bottom, knocking it with stones, as if to try how strong
it was. The king of these savages sent a black hog on board as a
present, charging the messenger to take no reward. Shortly after he came
in person, in a large ship of their fashion, attended by thirty-five
single canoes; and when at a small distance from the ship, he and all
his people began to bawl out as loud as they could, being their manner
of welcoming strangers. The Dutch received him with drums and trumpets,
which pleased him much; and he and his attendants shewed their sense of
this honourable reception by bowing and clapping their hands. The king
gave them a present after his fashion, which they requited with an old
hatchet, some rusty nails and glass beads, and a piece of linen, with
all which he seemed much pleased.
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