1770. direftly towards the fliore, but the water was fo fhallow
September. we could not reach it by about two hundred yards : we
Monday 3. Waded however the reft of the way, having left two of the
feamen to take care of the boat. Hitherto we had feen no
figns of inhabitants at this place ; but as foon as we got
afhore we difcovered the prints of human feet, which could
not long have been impreflèd uppn the fand, as they were
beiow high water mark: we therefore concluded that the
people were at no great diftance, and, as a thick wood came
down within a hundred yards of the water, we thought it
neceftary to proceed with caution, left we fhould fall into an
ambufcade and our retreat to the boat be cut off. We walked
along the Ikirts of the wood, and at the diftance of about
two hundred yards from the place where we landed, we
came to a grove of cocoa-nut trees, which flood upon the
banks of a little brook of brackifh water. The trees were o f
a fmall growth, but well hung with fruit; and near them
was a Hied or hut, which had been covered with their leaves,
though moft of them were now fallen off: about the hut lay
a great number of the fhells of the fruit, fome of which appeared
to be juft frelh from the tree. We looked at thé fruit
very wifhfully, but not thinking it fafe to climb, we were
obliged to lëave it without tailing a Angle nut. At a little
diftance from this place we found plantains, and a breadfruit
tree, but it had nothing upon i t ; and having now advanced
about a quarter of a mile from the boat, three Indians
ruihed out of the wood with a hideous fhout, at about
the diftance of a hundred yards ; and as they ran towards us,
the foremoft threw fomething out of his hand, which flew
on one fide of him, and burnt exaótly like gunpowder, but
made no report: the other two inftantly threw their lances
at usj, and, as no time was now to be loft, we difcharged our
pieces,
pieces, which were loaded with fmall fhot. It is probable Se V7£er
that they did not feel the fhot, for though they halted a mo- c—-*— _
ment, they did not retreat; and a third dart was thrown at '
us. As we thought their farther approach might be prevented
with lefs rifk of life, than it would coft to defend
ourfelves againft their attack if they fhould come nearer, we
loaded our pieces with bali, and fired a fecond time : by this
difcharge it is probable that fome of them were wounded
yet we had the farisfaction to fee that they all ran away with
great ability. As I was not difpofed forcibly to invade this
country, either to gratify our appetites or our curiofity, and
perceived that nothing was to be done upon friendly terms,
we improved this interval, in which the deftruction of the
natives was no longer neceftary to our own defence, and
with all expedition returned towards our boat. As we were
advancing along the fliore, we perceived that the two men-
on board made fignals that more Indians were coming down
and before we got into the water we faw feveral of them
coming round a point at the diftance of about five hundred-
yards: it is probable that they had met with the three who
firft attacked u s ; for as foon as they faw us they halted,
and feemed to wait till their main body fhould come up.
We entered the water, and waded towards the boat; and they
remained at their flation, without giving us any interruption.
As foon as we were aboard we rowed abreaft of them,
and their number then appeared to be between fixty and a
hundred. We now took a view of them at our leifure; they
made much the fame appearance as the New Hollanders,
being nearly o f the fame ftature, and having their hair fhort
cropped: like them alfo they were all ftark naked, but we
thought the colour of their fkin was not quite fo dark ; this
however might perhaps be merely the effecft of their noe
being quite fo dirty. All this while they were fhouting defiance,