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.
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