As Soon As They All Got Together,
They Came Down To Us In A Body, And Were Pretty Near When We Were Hoisting
Out Our Boats, Which Probably Gave Them Some Alarm; For, Without Stopping,
They Hauled In For The Reef, And Our Boats Followed Them.
We now saw that
what we had taken for openings in the coast was low land, and that it was
all connected, except the western extremity, which was an island known by
the name of Balabea, as we afterwards learnt.
The boats having made a signal for a channel, and one of them being placed
on the point of the reef on the weather side of it, we stood in with the
ship, and took up the other boat in our way, when the officer informed me,
that where we were to pass, was sixteen and fourteen fathoms water, a fine
sandy bottom, and that having put alongside two canoes, he found the people
very obliging and civil.[2] They gave him some fish; and, in return, he
presented them with medals, &c. In one was a stout robust young man, whom,
they understood to be a chief. After getting within the reef, we hauled up
S. 1/2 E., for a small low sandy isle that we observed lying under the
shore, being followed by all the canoes. Our sounding in standing in, was
from fifteen to twelve fathoms (a pretty even fine sandy bottom,) for about
two miles; then we had six, five, and four fathoms. This was on the tail of
a shoal which lies a little without the small isle to the N.E. Being over
it, we found seven and eight fathoms water, which shallowed gradually as we
approached the shore, to three fathoms, when we tacked and stood off a
little, and then anchored in five fathoms, the bottom a fine sand mixed
with mud. The little sandy isle bore E. by S., three-quarters of a mile
distant; and we were one mile from the shore of the main, which extended
from S.E. by E., round to the south, to W.N.W. The island of Balabea bore
N.W. by N., and the channel, through which we came, north, four miles
distant. In this situation we were extremely well sheltered from the
reigning winds, by the sandy isle and its shoals, and by the shoal without
them.
We had hardly got to an anchor, before we were surrounded by a great number
of the natives, in sixteen or eighteen canoes, the most of whom were
without any sort of weapons. At first they were shy in coming near the
ship; but in a short time we prevailed on the people in one boat to get
close enough to receive some presents. These we lowered down to them by a
rope, to which, in return, they tied two fish that stunk intolerably, as
did those they gave us in the morning. These mutual exchanges bringing on a
kind of confidence, two ventured on board the ship; and presently after,
she was filled with them, and we had the company of several at dinner in
the cabin. Our pease-soup, salt-beef and pork, they had no curiosity to
taste; but they eat of some yams, which we happened to have yet left,
calling them Oobee. This name is not unlike Oofee, as they
are called at most of the islands, except Mallicollo; nevertheless, we
found these people spoke a language new to us. Like all the nations we had
lately seen, the men were almost naked; having hardly any other covering
but such a wrapper as is used at Mallicollo. They were curious in examining
every part of the ship, which they viewed with uncommon attention. They had
not the least knowledge of goats, hogs, dogs, or cats, and had not even a
name for one of them. They seemed fond of large spike-nails, and pieces of
red cloth, or indeed of any other colour, but red was their favourite.
After dinner, I went on shore with two armed boats, having with us one of
the natives who had attached himself to me. We landed on a sandy beach
before a vast number of people, who had got together with no other intent
than to see us; for many of them had not a stick in their hands;
consequently we were received with great courtesy, and with the surprise
natural for people to express, at seeing men and things so new to them as
we must be. I made presents to all those my friend pointed out, who were
either old men, or such as seemed to be of some note; but he took not the
least notice of some women who stood behind the crowd, folding my hand when
I was going to give them some beads and medals. Here we found the same
chief, who had been seen in one of the canoes in the morning. His name, we
now learnt, was Teabooma; and we had not been on shore above ten minutes,
before he called for silence. Being instantly obeyed by every individual
present, he made a short speech; and soon after another chief having called
for silence, made a speech also. It was pleasing to see with what attention
they were heard. Their speeches were composed of short sentences; to each
of which two or three old men answered, by nodding their heads, and giving
a kind of grunt, significant, as I thought, of approbation. It was
impossible for us to know the purport of these speeches; but we had reason
to think they were favourable to us, on whose account they doubtless were
made.
I kept my eyes fixed on the people all the time, and saw nothing to induce
me to think otherwise. While we were with them, having enquired, by signs,
for fresh water, some pointed to the east and others to the west. My friend
undertook to conduct us to it, and embarked with us for that purpose.
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