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.
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