The Moment We Landed,
It Was Put Into The Boat, By A Man Who Walked Off Again Without Speaking
One Word.
It ought to be observed, that this was the only thing they took,
or even attempted to take from us, by any means whatever.
Being landed near
one of their plantations and houses, which were just within the skirts of
the wood, I prevailed on the man to conduct me to them; but, though they
suffered Mr Forster to go with me, they were unwilling any more should
follow. These houses were something like those of the other isles; rather
low, and covered with palm thatch. Some were enclosed, or walled round with
boards; and the entrance to those was by a square hole at one end, which at
this time was shut up, and they were unwilling to open it for us to look
in. There were here about six houses, and some small plantations of roots,
&c., fenced round with reeds as at the Friendly Isles. There were,
likewise, some bread-fruit, cocoa-nut, and plaintain trees; but very little
fruit on any of them. A good many fine yams were piled up upon sticks, or a
kind of raised platform; and about twenty pigs, and a few fowls, were
running about loose. After making these observations, having embarked, we
proceeded to the S.E. point of the harbour, where we again landed and
walked along the bench till we could see the islands to the S.E. already
mentioned. The names of these we now obtained, as well as the name of that
on which we were. This they called Mallicollo;[3] the island that first
appeared over the south end of Ambrym is called Apee; and the other with
the hill upon it Paoom. We found on the beach a fruit like an orange,
called by them Abbimora; but whether it be fit for eating, I cannot say, as
this was decayed.
Proceeding next to the other side of the harbour, we there landed, near a
few houses, at the invitation of some people who came down to the shore;
but we had not been there five minutes before they wanted us to be gone. We
complied, and proceeded up the harbour in order to sound it, and look for
fresh water, of which, as yet, we had seen none, but the very little that
the natives brought, which we knew not where they got. Nor was our search
now attended with success; but this is no proof that there is not any. The
day was too far spent to examine the place well enough to determine this
point. Night having brought us on board, I was informed that no soul had
been off to the ship; so soon was the curiosity of these people satisfied.
As we were coming on board, we heard the sound of a drum, and, I think, of
some other instruments, and saw people dancing; but us soon as they heard
the noise of the oars, or saw us, all was silent.
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