The Bluff-Head, Or East Point Of
The Bay, Bore North 53 Deg.
East.
We had no sooner tacked than it fell calm, and we were left to the mercy of
the swell, which continued to hurtle us towards the shore, where large
troops of people were assembled. Some ventured off in two canoes; but all
the signs of friendship we could make, did not induce them to come along-
side, or near enough to receive any present from us. At last they took
sudden fright at something, and returned ashore. They were naked, except
having some long grass, like flags, fastened to a belt, and hanging down
before and behind, nearly as low as the knee. Their colour was very dark,
and their hair woolly, or cut short, which made it seem so.[5] The canoes
were small and had outriggers. The calm continued till near eight o'clock,
in which time we drove into eighty-five fathoms water, and so near the
shore that I expected we should be obliged to anchor. A breeze of wind
sprung up at E.S.E., and first took us on the wrong side; but, contrary to
all our expectations, and when we had hardly room to veer, the ship came
about, and having filled on the starboard tack, we stood off N.E. Thus we
were relieved from the apprehensions of being forced to anchor in a great
depth, on a lee shore, and in a dark and obscure night.
We continued to ply upwards, with variable light breezes between E.S.E. and
S., till ten next morning, when it fell calm.
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