C H A P . II.
The A rriva l o f the Ships at Atnjlerdam; a Defcription
o f a Place o f W irjh ip ; and an Account o f the Incidents
•which happened while they, remained at that I f and.
oaober /\ ® f°on as I was on board, we made fail down to Am-
—-v— » ■ TjL fterdam. The people of this ifle were fo little afraid
™day 3. of us, that fome met us in three canoes about midway between
the two ifles. They ufed their utmoft efforts to get
on board, but without effect, as we did not fhorten fail for
them, and the rope which we gave them broke. They then
attempted to board the Adventure, and met with the fame
difappointment. We ran along the S. W. coaft of Amfter-
dam at half a mile from fhore, on which the fea broke in a
great furf. We had an opportunity, by the help o f our
glaffes, to view the face of the ifland, every part of which
feemed to be laid out in plantations. We obferved the natives
running along the fhore, difplaying fhaall white flags,
which we took for enfigns of peace, and anfwered them by
hoifting a St. George’s enfign. Three men belonging to
Middleburg, who, by fome means or other, had been left on
board the Adventure, now quitted her, and fwam. to the fhore;
not knowing that we intended to flop at this ifle; and having
no inclination, as may be fuppofed, to go away with us.
As foon as we opened the weft fide of the ifle, we were metr
by feveral canoes, each conducted by three or four men.
They came boldly along-fide, prefented us with fome Eava
root, and then came on board, without farther ceremony,
inviting
inviting us, by all the friendly figns they could make, to go >773.
to their ifland, and pointing to the place where we fhould c_T fd .
anchor; at leaft we fo underftood them. After a few boards S“nday 3‘
we anchored in Van Diemen’s Road, in eighteen fathoms
water, little more than a cable’s length from the breakers
which line the coaft. We carried out the coafting anchor
and cable to feaward, to keep the fhip from tailing on the
rocks, in cafe of a fhif t of wind or a calm. This laft anchor lay
in forty-feven fathoms water; fo fteep was the bank on which
we anchored. By this time we were crowded with people |
fome came off in canoes, and others fwam; but, like
thofe of the other ifle, brought nothing with them but cloth,
matting, &c. for which the feamen only bartered away their
cloaths. As it was probable they would foon feel the effedts
of this kind of traffic, with a view to put a flop to it, and tO‘
obtain the neceflary refrefhments, I gave orders that no fort
of curiofities fhould be purchafed by any perfon whatever.
The good efFedt of this order was found in the morning; Monday 4*.
For when the natives Taw we would purchafe nothing but
eatables, they brought off bananoes and cocoa-nuts in
abundance, fome fowls and pigs; all of which they .exchanged
for fmall nails and pieces of cloth: even, old rags
of any fort, was enough for a pig, or a fowl.
Matters being, thus eftablifhed, and proper perfons appointed
to trade under the diredtion of the officers to prevent
difputes, after breakfaft I landed, accompanied by
Captain Furneaux, Mr. Forfter, and feveral of the officers;,
having along with us a chief, or perfon of fome note, whofe
name was Attago, who had attached himfelf to me, from,
the firft moment of his coming on board, which was before
we anchored. I know not how he came to difeover that L
•was.