enough to go with u s ; but I have reafon to think that, when
the time drew near, the father’s courage failed, and that to
keep his child he fecreted him till the fhip was gone, for we
never faw him afterwards.
Monday i-j. At break of day, on Monday the 87th, we unmoored, and
at the fame time I fent the barge and cutter to fill the few
water-calks that were now empty. When they came near
the Ihore, they faw, to their great furprife, the whole beach
covered with inhabitants, and having fome doubt whether it
would be prudent to venture themfelves among fuch a multitude,
they were about to pull back again for the Ihip. As
foon as this was perceived from the Ihore, the queen came
forward, and beckoned them; at the fame time gueffing the
reafon of what had happened, fhe made the natives retire to
the other fide of the river: the boats then proceeded to the
Ihore, and filled the calks, in the mean time Ihe put fome
hogs and fruit on board, and when they were putting off
would fain have returned with them to the Ihip. The officer,
however, who had received orders to bring off none of
the natives, would not permit her; upon which fhe prefently
launched a double canoe, and was rowed off by her own
people. Her canoe was immediately followed by fifteen or
fixteen more, and all o f them came up to the Ihip. The
queen came on board, but not being able to fpeak, Ihe fat
down and gave vent to her paffion by weeping. After fhe
had been on board about an hour, a breeze fpringing up,
we weighed anchor and made fail. Finding it now neceflary
to return into her canoe, Ihe embraced us all in the moll
affeflionate manner, and with many tears; all her attendants
alfo exprefled great forrow at our departure. Soon after
it fell calm, and I fent the boats a-head to tow, upon which
all the canoes returned to the Ihip, and that which had the
queen on board came up to the gun-room port, where her
4 people
1767.
JMy-
Sunday 26.
people made it faff. In a few minutes Ihe came into the *767.
bow of her canoe, where Ihe fat weeping with inconfolable >— ^ — <
forrow. I gave her many things which I thought would be on 1 21‘
o f great ufe to her, and fome for ornament; ffie filently accepted
o f all, but took little notice o f any thing. About 10
o’clock we were got without the reef, and a freffi breeze
fpririging up, our Indian friends, and particularly the queen,
once more bade us farewel, with fuch tendernefs of affection
and grief, as filled both my heart and my eyes.
At noon, the harbour from which we failed bore S. E. E.
diftant about twelve miles. It lies in latitude 17 ° 30' S. longitude
150° W. and I gave it the name o f Port Royal Harbour.