The Day After We Passed By The South-West Cape Of This Bay, Leaving
It To The North Of Us.
When we were abreast of it I called my
officers together, and named it Cape Orford, in honour of my noble
patron, drinking his Lordship's health.
This cape bears from Cape
St. George south-west about eighteen leagues. Between them there is
a bay about twenty-five leagues deep, having pretty high land all
round it, especially near the capes, though they themselves are not
high. Cape Orford lies in the latitude of 5 degrees 24 minutes
south, by my observation; and meridian distance from Cape St.
George, forty-four miles west. The land trends from this cape
north-west by west into the bay, and on the other side south-west
per compass, which is south-west 9 degrees west, allowing the
variation, which is here 9 degrees east. The land on each side of
the cape is more savannah than woodland, and is highest on the
north-west side. The cape itself is a bluff-point, of an
indifferent height, with a flat tableland at top. When we were to
the south-west of the cape, it appeared to be a low point shooting
out, which you cannot see when abreast of it. This morning we
struck a log of driftwood with our turtle-irons, hoisted it in, and
split it for firewood. Afterwards we struck another, but could not
get it in. There were many fish about it.
We steered along south-west as the land lies, keeping about six
leagues off the shore; and, being desirous to cut wood and fill
water, if I saw any conveniency, I lay by in the night, because I
would not miss any place proper for those ends, for fear of wanting
such necessaries as we could not live without. This coast is high
and mountainous, and not so thick with trees as that on the other
side of Cape Orford.
On the 14th, seeing a pretty deep bay ahead, and some islands where
I thought we might ride secure, we ran in towards the shore and saw
some smoke. At ten o'clock we saw a point which shot out pretty
well into the sea, with a bay within it, which promised fair for
water; and we stood in with a moderate gale. Being got into the bay
within the point, we saw many cocoa-nut-trees, plantations, and
houses. When I came within four or five miles of the shore, six
small boats came off to view us, with about forty men in them all.
Perceiving that they only came to view us, and would not come
aboard, I made signs and waved to them to go ashore; but they did
not or would not understand me; therefore I whistled a shot over
their heads out of my fowling-piece, and then they pulled away for
the shore as hard as they could. These were no sooner ashore, than
we saw three boats coming from the islands to leeward of us, and
they soon came within call, for we lay becalmed. One of the boats
had about forty men in her, and was a large, well-built boat; the
other two were but small. Not long after, I saw another boat coming
out of the bay where I intended to go; she likewise was a large
boat, with a high head and stern painted, and full of men. This I
thought came off to fight us, as it is probable they all did;
therefore I fired another small shot over the great boat that was
nigh us, which made them leave their babbling and take to their
paddles. We still lay becalmed; and therefore they, rowing wide of
us, directed their course towards the other great boat that was
coming off. When they were pretty near each other I caused the
gunner to fire a gun between them, which he did very dexterously; it
was loaded with round and partridge shot; the last dropped in the
water somewhat short of them, but the round shot went between both
boats, and grazed about one hundred yards beyond them. This so
affrighted them that they both rowed away for the shore as fast as
they could, without coming near each other; and the little boats
made the best of their way after them. And now, having a gentle
breeze at south-south-east, we bore into the bay after them. When
we came by the point, I saw a great number of men peeping from under
the rocks: I ordered a shot to be fired close by, to scare them.
The shot grazed between us and the point, and, mounting again, flew
over the point, and grazed a second time just by them. We were
obliged to sail along close by the bays; and, seeing multitudes
sitting under the trees, I ordered a third gun to be fired among the
cocoa-nut-trees to scare them; for my business being to wood and
water, I thought it necessary to strike some terror into the
inhabitants, who were very numerous, and (by what I saw now, and had
formerly experienced) treacherous. After this I sent my boat to
sound; they had first forty, then thirty, and at last twenty fathom
water. We followed the boat, and came to anchor about a quarter of
a mile from the shore, in twenty-six fathom water, fine black sand
and ooze. We rode right against the mouth of a small river, where I
hoped to find fresh water. Some of the natives standing on a small
point at the river's mouth, I sent a small shot over their heads to
frighten them, which it did effectually. In the afternoon I sent my
boat ashore to the natives who stood upon the point by the river's
mouth with a present of cocoa-nuts; when the boat was come near the
shore, they came running into the water, and put their nuts into the
boat.
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