geftures, that we were in fome pain for our fmali boat,
Timrfdav was ftill employed in founding: a mulket was therefore
fired over them, but finding it did them no harm, they
feemed rather to be provoked than intimidated, and I therefore
fired a four pounder, charged with grape-fhot, wide of
them: this had a better dieft ; upon the report of the piece
they all rofe up and fhouted, but inftead of continuing the
chace, drew altogether, and after a fhort confultation, went
quietly away.
Having got round Portland, we hauled in for thé land
N. W. having a gentle breeze at N. E. which about five o’clock
died away, and obliged us to anchor; we had one and twenty
fathom, with a fine fandy bottom: the fouth point of Portland
bore S. E. I S. diftant about two leagues, and a low
point on the main bore N. 4 E.: in the fame direftion with
this low point, there runs a deep bay, behind the land of
which Cape Table is the extremity, fo as to make this land
a peninfula, leaving only a low narrow neck between that
and the main. Of this peninfula, which the natives call
T e r a k a c o , Cape Table is the north point, and Portland the
fouth.
While we lay at anchor, two more canoes came off to us,
one armed, and the other a fmali fifhing-boat, with only
four men in her; they came fo near that they entered
into converfation with Tupia; they anfwered all the queftions
that he a Iked them with great civility, but could not be per-
fuaded to come on board; they came near enough, however,
to receive feveral prefents that were thrown to them
from the Ihip, with which they feemed much pleafed, and
went away. During the night many fires were kept upon
fliore, probably to ihew us that the inhabitants were tod
much upon their guard to be furprized.
1769.
October.
About
About five o’clock in the morning of the 13th, a breeze
fpringing up northerly, we weighed, and fleered in for the ^ 7 ^ 7 '
land. The fliore here forms a large bay, of which Portland
is the north eaft point, and the bay, that runs behind Cape
Table, an arm. This arm I had a great inclination to examine,
becaufe there appeared to be fafe anchorage in it, but
not being fure of that, and the wind being right an end, I
was unwilling to fpare the time. Four and twenty fathom
was the greateft depth within Portland, but the ground was
every where clear. The land near the fliore is of a moderate
height, with white cliffs and fandy beaches; within, it rifes
into, mountains, and upon the whole the furface is hilly, for
the moft part covered with wood, and to appearance pleafant
and fertile. In the morning nine canoes came after the fliipt
but whether with peaceable or hoftile intentions we could
not tell, for we foon left them behind us.
In the evening we flood in for a place that had the appearance
of an opening, but found no harbour; we therefore
flood out again, and were foon followed by a large canoe,
with eighteen or twenty men, all armed, who, though they
could not reach us, fhouted defiance, and brandiflied their
weapons, with many geftures of menace and infult.
In the morning we had a view of the mountains inland, Saturday 14.
upon which the fnow was ftill lying: the country near the
fhore was low and unfit for culture, but in one place we perceived
a patch of fomewhat yellow, which had greatly the
appearance of a corn field, yet was probably nothing more
than fome dead flaggs, which are not uncommon, in fwampy
places : at fome diftance we faw groves of trees, which appeared
high and tapering, and being not above two leagues
from the fouth weft cod of the great bay, in which we had
been coafting for the two. laft days,. I hoifted out the pinnace
g and