1769. the long lance and Patoo-Patoo, which have been mentioned
November.]
-----* already, they have a ftafF about five feet long, fometimes
11 } >2' pointed, like a Serjeant’s halberd, fometimes only tapering
to a point at one end, and having the other end broad, and
lhaped fomewhat like the blade of an oar. They have alfo
another weapon, about a foot fhorter than thefe, pointed at
one end, and at the other fhapcd like an axe. The points
of their long lances are barbed, and they handle them with
fuch llrength and agility, that we can match them with no
weapon but a loaded mufquet.
After taking a flight view of the country, and loading
both the boats with celery, which we found in great plenty
near the beach, we returned from our excurfion, and about
five o’clock in the evening got on board the fir ip.
Wednef. 15. On the 15th, I failed out of the bay, and at the fame time
had feveral canoes on board, in one of which was our friend
Toiava, who faid, that as loon as we were gone he muft repair
to his Heppah or fort, becaufe the friends o f the man
who had been fhot by Mr. Gore on the gth, had threatened
to revenge his death upon him, whom they had reproached
as being our friend. Off the north point of the bay, I faw
a great number of iflands, of various extent, which lay fcat-
tered to the north weft, in a direction parallel with the main
as far as I could fee. I fleered north eaft for the north eaft-
ermoft of thefe iflands; but the wind coming to the north
weft, I was obliged to ftand out to fea.
To the bay which we had now left I gave the name of
M e r c u r y Ba y , on account of the obfervation which we had
made there o f the tranfit o f that planet over the fun! It lies
in latitude 36° 47' S .; and in the longitude of 184° 4? W.:
there are feveral iflands lying both to the fouthward and
northward of it, and a fmall ifland or rock in the middle of
the
R O U N D T H E WORLD.
the entrance: within this ifland the depth of water no where
exceeds nine fathom: the beft anchoring is in a Tandy bay,
which lies juft within the fouth head, in five and four fathom,
bringing a high tower or rock, which lies without the
head, in one with the head, or juft Ihut in behind it. This
place is very convenient both for wooding and watering, and
in the river there is an immenfe quantity of oyfters and
other fhell-fifli: I have for this reafon given it the name of
O y s t e r R i v e r . But for a Ihip that wants to flay here any
time, the beft and fafeft place is in the river at the head of
the bay ; which, from the number of mangrove trees about
it, I have called M a n g r o v e R i v e r . To fail into this river,
the fouth Ihore muft be kept all the way on board. The
country on the eaft fide of the river and bay is very barren,
its only produce being fern, and a few other plants that
will grow in a poor foil. The land on the north weft fide
is covered with wood, and the foil being much more fertile,
would doubtlefs produce all the necefiaries of life with proper
cultivation: it is not however fo fertile as the lands
that we have feen to the fouthward; nor do the inhabitants,
though numerous, make fo good an appearance: they have
no plantations; their canoes are mean, and without ornament
; they fleep in the open a ir; and fay, that Teratu,
whofe fovereignty they do not acknowledge, if he was to
come among them, would kill them. This favoured our
opinion of their being outlaws; yet they told us, that they
had Heppahs or ftrong holds, to which they retired in time
of imminent danger.
We found, thrown upon the fhore, in feveral parts of fhis
bay, great quantities of iroft-fand, which is brought down
by every little rivulet of frelh water that finds its way from
the country; which is a demonftration that there is ore of
V o l .H. Y y that
34*
1769.
November.
Wednef. ig.