>774- pieces of which they were again beginning to dig up. The
^Sepambe^ thing I obferved they did, was to fet fire to the grafs, &c.
WcdoeC. 7. had over-run the furface. Recruiting the land by
letting it lie fome years untouched, is obferved by all the
nations in this fea; but they feem to have no notion of manuring
it, at leaft I have no where feen it done. Our ex-
curfion was finifhed by noon, when we returned on board to
dinner; and one of our guides having left us, we brought
the other with us, whofe fidelity was rewarded at a fmall
expence.
In the afternoon, I made a little excurfion along ffiore, to
the weftward, in company with Mr. Wales. Befides making
obfervadons on fuch things as we met, we got the names
o f feveral places, which I then thought were iflands; but,
upon farther inquiry, I found they were diftridts upon this
fame land. This afternoon a fiffi being ftruck by one of the
natives near the watering-place, my clerk purchafed it, and
fent.it- to me after my return on board. It was of a new
fpecies, fomething like afun-fiffi, with a large, long, ugly
head. Having no fufpicion of its being of a poifon'ous nature,
we ordered it to be drefled for fupper; but, very
luckily, the operation of drawing and defcribing took up fo
.much time, that it was too late, fo that only the liver and
row were drefled, of which the two Mr. Forfters and myfelf
did but tafte. About three o’clock in the morning, we
found ourfelves feized with an extraordinary weaknefs and
numbnefs all over our limbs. I had almoft loft the fenfe of
feeling; nor could I diftinguifh between light and heavy
bodies, of fuch as I had ftrength to move ; a quart pot, full
of water, and a feather, being the fame in - my hand. We
each of us took an emetic, and after that a fweat, which gave
us
his..much relief. In the morning, one of the pigs, which >77n
had eaten the entrails, was found dead,- When the na- ,s Plembcr-
tives came on board and faw the fifh hang up, they immedi- Wtd“ r' 7'
ately gave us to underftand it was.not wholefome food, and
expreffed the utmoft abhorrence of it; though no one was
obferved to do this when the fifh was to be fold, or even after
it was purchafed.
On the 8th, the guard and a party of men were on fhore Thurfday s.
as ufual. In the afternoon I received a meflage from the
officer, acquainting me that Teabooma the chief was come
with a prefent confifting of a few yams and fugar-canes. In
return, I fent him, amongft other articles, a dog and a bitch,
both young, but nearly full grown. The dog was red and
white, but the bitch was all red, or the colour o f an Englifh
fox. I mention this, becaufe they may prove the Adam and
Eve of their fpecies in that country. When the officer returned
on board in the evening, he informed me that the
chief came, attended by about twenty men, fo that it looked
like a vifit of ceremony. It was fome time before he wo_.d
believe the dog and bitch were intended for him; but as
foon as he was convinced, he feemed loft in an excefs of joy,
and fent them away immediately.
Next morning early, I difpatched Lieutenant Pickerfgill and Friday 9.
Mr. Gilbert with the launch and cutter to explore the coaft to
the Weft; judging this would be bettereffedled in the boats
than in the fhip, as the reefs would force the latter feveral
leagues from land. After breakfaft, a party of men was fent
affiore to make brooms ; but myfelf and the two Mr. Forfters
were confined on board, though much better, a good fweat
having had an happy effedt. In the afternoon, a man was
feen, both affiore and along-fide the ffiip, faid to be as white
as any European. From the account I had of him (for I did
V ol. II. Q_ not