C H A 'P. VI.
The Sick fent on Shore, and a regular 'Trade ejlahlijhed
•with the Natives; ‘fome Account of their CharaEler and
Manners, o f their Vifits on hoard the Ship, and a
Variety. o f Incidents that happened during this Inter-
courje.
t 767. T V /T A T T E R S being thus happily fettled, I fent the Sur-
. Jane' . 1V J . geon, with the Second Lieutenant, to examine the
SatarSay 27. country ) anq fix upon fome place where the lick might take
up their relidence on Ihore. When they returned, they faid,
that with refpedt to health and convenience, all the places
th at they had feen upon the ifiand feemed to be equally
proper j but that with refpeft to fafety, they could recommend
none but the watering-place, as they would be there
under the protection o f the fhip and the guard, and would
eafily be prevented from llraggling into the country, and
brought off to their meals. To the watering-place therefore
I fent them, with thofe that were employed in filling the
calks, and appointed the gunner to command the party that
was to be their guard. A tent was erefted for them as a
fhelter both from the fun and the rain, and the Surgeon was
fent to fuperintend their conduct, and give his advice i f it
Ihould be wanted. It happened that walking out with his
gun, after he had feen the lick properly difpofed o f in the
tent, a wild duck flew over his head, which he Ihot, and it
fell dead among fome o f the natives who were on the other
fide o f the river. This threw them into a panic, and
they
they all' ran away:-when they got to-fome diftance they J767•
flopped, and he made figns to them to bring the. duck over-: >---- .---- >
this one o f them at laft ventured to do, and, pale and trem- Satur z?’
bling, laid, it down at his feet. Several other ducks happening
at the inftant to- fly over the fpot where they were
Handing, he fired again, and fortunately brought, down
three more. This incident gave the natives fuch a dread of
a gun, that i f amufquet was pointed at.a thoufand of them,
they would all run away like a flock o f Iheep; and probably
the eafe with which they were afterwards kept at a.diftance,
and their orderly behaviour in their traffic, was in a great
meafure owing to their having upon this occafion feen the
iaftr.ument of which before they had only felt the effeCls.
As I forefaw that a private traffic would probably commence
between fuch o f our people as were onffiore, and the
natives, and that i f it was left to their own caprice, perpetual
quarrels and mifchief would enfue, I ordered that- all matters
o f traffic Ihould be tran faded by the gunner; on behalf
of both parties, andl diredted him to fee that-no injury was
done to the natives, either by violence or fraud, and by all
poffible means to attach the old man to his intereft. This
fervice he performed with great diligence and fidelity, nor
did he negleft to complain o f thofe who tranfgreffed my
orders, which was of infinite advantage to all parties,; for as
Ipuniffied the firft offenders with a neceffary feverit.y, many
irregularities, that would otherwife have produced the moft
difagreeable confequences, were prevented: we were alfo
indebted for many advantages to the old man, whofe caution
kept our people perpetually upon their, guard, and
foon brought back thofe who ftraggled from the party. The
natives would indeed fometimes pilfer, but by the terror of
a gun, without ufing it, he always found means to make
them bring back what was ftolen. A fellow had one day the
i H h a dexterity