The Natives Lay In Their Proas Round Us; To
Whom I Showed Beads, Knives, Glasses, To Allure Them To Come
Nearer.
But they would not come so nigh as to receive anything from us;
therefore I threw out some things
To them, viz., a knife fastened to
a piece of board, and a glass bottle corked up with some beads in
it, which they took up, and seemed well pleased. They often struck
their left breast with their right hand, and as often held up a
black truncheon over their heads, which we thought was a token of
friendship, wherefore we did the like. And when we stood in towards
their shore, they seemed to rejoice; but when we stood off, they
frowned, yet kept us company in their proas, still pointing to the
shore. About five o'clock we got within the mouth of the bay, and
sounded several times, but had no ground, though within a mile of
the shore. The basin of this bay was about two miles within us,
into which we might have gone; but as I was not assured of anchorage
there, so I thought it not prudent to run in at this time, it being
near night, and seeing a black tornado rising in the west, which I
most feared. Besides, we had near two hundred men in proas close by
us; and the bays on the shore were lined with men from one end to
the other, where there could not be less than three or four hundred
more. What weapons they had, we knew not, nor yet their design;
therefore I had, at their first coming near us, got up all our small
arms, and made several put on cartouch boxes, to prevent treachery.
At last I resolved to go out again; which, when the natives in their
proas perceived, they began to fling stones at us as fast as they
could, being provided with engines for that purpose, wherefore I
named this place Slinger's Bay; but at the firing of one gun they
were all amazed, drew off, and flung no more stones. They got
together, as if consulting what to do; for they did not make in
towards the shore, but lay still, though some of them were killed or
wounded; and many more of them had paid for their boldness, but that
I was unwilling to cut off any of them, which, if I had done, I
could not hope afterwards to bring them to treat with me.
The next day we sailed close by an island, where we saw many smokes,
and men in the bays, out of which came two or three canoes, taking
much pains to overtake us, but they could not, though we went with
an easy sail, and I could not now stay for them. As I passed by the
south-east point I sounded several times within a mile of the Sandy
Bays, but had no ground. About three leagues to the northward of
the south-east point we opened a large, deep bay, secured from west-
north-west and south-west winds. There were two other islands that
lay to the north-east of it, which secured the bay from north-east
winds; one was but small, yet woody; the other was a league long,
inhabited, and full of cocoa-nut trees. I endeavoured to get into
this bay, but there came such flaws off from the high land over it
that I could not. Besides, we had many hard squalls, which deterred
me from it; and, night coming on, I would not run any hazard, but
bore away to the small inhabited island, to see if we could get
anchorage on the east side of it. When we came there we found the
island so narrow, that there could be no shelter; therefore I tacked
and stood towards the greater island again; and being more than
midway between both, I lay by, designing to endeavour for anchorage
next morning. Between seven and eight at night we spied a canoe
close by us, and seeing no more, suffered her to come aboard. She
had three men in her, who brought off five cocoa-nuts, for which I
gave each of them a knife and a string of beads, to encourage them
to come off again in the morning: but before these went away we saw
two more canoes coming; therefore we stood away to the northward
from them, and then lay by again till day. We saw no more boats
this night, neither designed to suffer any to come aboard in the
dark.
By nine o'clock the next morning we were got within a league of the
great island, but were kept off by violent gusts of wind. These
squalls gave us warning of their approach by the clouds which hung
over the mountains, and afterwards descended to the foot of them;
and then it is we expect them speedily.
On the 3rd of March, being about five leagues to leeward of the
great island, we saw the mainland ahead, and another great high
island to leeward of us, distant about seven leagues, which we bore
away for. It is called in the Dutch drafts Garret Dennis Isle. It
is about fourteen or fifteen leagues round, high and mountainous,
and very woody. Some trees appeared very large and tall, and the
bays by the seaside are well stared with cocoa-nut trees, where we
also saw some small houses. The sides of the mountains are thick-
set with plantations, and the mould in the new-cleared land seemed
to be of a brown-reddish colour. This island is of no regular
figure, but is full of points shooting forth into the sea, between
which are many sandy bays, full of cocoa-nut trees. The middle of
the isle lies in 3 degrees 10 minutes south latitude. It is very
populous. The natives are very black, strong, and well-limbed
people, having great round heads, their hair naturally curled and
short, which they shave into several forms, and dye it also of
divers colours--viz., red, white, and yellow.
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