As Soon As We Came Near Cave's Island Some Canoes
Came About Us, And Made Signs For Us To Come
Ashore, as all the rest
had done before, probably thinking we could run the ship aground
anywhere, as they did
Their proas, for we saw neither sail nor
anchor among any of them, though most Eastern Indians have both.
These had proas made of one tree, well dug, with outriggers on one
side; they were but small, yet well shaped. We endeavoured to
anchor, but found no ground within a mile of the shore. We kept
close along the north side, still sounding till we came to the
north-east end, but found no ground, the canoes still accompanying
us, and the bays were covered with men going along as we sailed.
Many of them strove to swim off to us, but we left them astern.
Being at the north-east point, we found a strong current setting to
the north-west, so that though we had steered to keep under the high
island, yet we were driven towards the flat one. At this time three
of the natives came on board. I gave each of them a knife, a
looking-glass, and a string of beads. I showed them pumpkins and
cocoa-nut shells, and made signs to them to bring some aboard, and
had presently three cocoa-nuts out of one of the canoes. I showed
them nutmegs, and by their signs I guessed they had some on the
island.
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