Many Quitted Their Canoes And Swam On Shore; Those In The Great
Cabin Leaped Out Of The Windows; And Those Who Were On The Deck, And On
Different Parts Of The Rigging, All Leaped Overboard.
After this we took no
farther notice of them, but suffered them to come off and pick up their
canoes; and some of them even ventured alongside of the ship.
Immediately
after the great gun was fired, we heard the beating of drums on shore;
which was, probably, the signal for the country to assemble in arms. We now
got every thing in readiness to land, to cut some wood, which we were in
want of, and to try to get some refreshments, nothing of this kind having
been seen in any of the canoes.
About nine o'clock, we put off in two boats, and landed in the face of four
or five hundred people, who were assembled on the shore. Though they were
all armed with bows and arrows, clubs and spears, they made not the least
opposition. On the contrary, seeing me advance alone, with nothing but a
green branch in my hand, one of them, who seemed to be a chief, giving his
bow and arrows to another, met me in the water, bearing also a green
branch, which having exchanged for the one I held, he then took me by the
hand, and led me up to the crowd. I immediately distributed presents to
them, and, in the mean time, the marines were drawn up upon the beach. I
then made signs (for we understood not a word of their language) that we
wanted wood; and they made signs to us to cut down the trees. By this time,
a small pig being brought down and presented to me, I gave the bearer a
piece of cloth, with which he seemed well pleased. This made us hope that
we should soon have some more; but we were mistaken. The pig was not
brought to be exchanged for what we had, but on some other account,
probably as a peace-offering. For, all we could say or do, did not prevail
on them to bring down, after this, above half a dozen cocoa-nuts, and a
small quantity of fresh water. They set no value on nails, or any sort of
iron tools; nor indeed on any thing we had. They would, now and then,
exchange an arrow for a piece of cloth; but very seldom would part with a
bow. They were unwilling we should go off the beach, and very desirous we
should return on board. At length, about noon, after sending what wood we
had cut on board, we embarked ourselves; and they all retired, some one way
and some another. Before we had dined, the afternoon was too far spent to
do any thing on shore; and all hands were employed, setting up the rigging,
and repairing some defects in it. But seeing a man bring along the strand a
buoy, which they had taken in the night from the kedge-anchor, I went on
shore for it, accompanied by some of the gentlemen.
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