up in the woods.- I alfo fent the launch for water; and
afterwards viiited all the parties myfelf. In the evening,
we drew the feme at the head of the hay, and, at one haul,
caught a great quantity of fiih. We fhould have got many
more, had not the net broken in drawing it aihore. Moil
of them were of that fort known to feamen by the name of
elephant fifh. After this, every one repaired on board with
what wood and grafs we had cut, that we might be ready
to fail whenever the wind fhould ferve.
This not happening next morning, the people were fent
on fhore again, on the fame duty as the day before; I alfo
employed the carpenter, with part of his crew, to cut fome
fpars for the ufe of the fhip ; and difpatched Mr. Roberts,
one of the mates, in a fmall boat to furvey the bay."
In the afternoon, we were agreeably furprifed, at the
place where we were cutting wood, with a vifit from fome
of the natives; eight men and a boy. They approached us
from the woods, without betraying any marks of fear, or rather
with the greateft confidence imaginable; for none of
them had any weapons, except one, who held in his hand
a flick about two feet long, and pointed at one end.
They were quite naked, and wore no ornaments ; -unlefs
we confider as fuch, and as a proof of their love of finery,
fome large punftures or ridges raifed on different parts of
their bodies, fome in flraight, and others in curved lines.
They were of the common dature, but rather flender.
Their fkin was black, and alfo their hair, which was as
woolly as that of .any native of Guinea ; but they were not
diflinguifhed by remarkably thick lips, nor flat nofes. On
the contrary, their features were far from being difagreeable.
able. They had pretty good eyes; and their teeth were >777-
tolerably even, but very dirty. Mod of them had their hair ,
and beards fmeared with a red ointment; and fome had
their faces alfo painted with the fame compofition.
They received every prefent we made xo them, without
the lead appearance of fatisfaffion.- When fome bread was
given, as foon as they undcrdood that it was to be eaten,
they either returned it, or threw it away, without even fading
it. They alfo refufed fome elephant fifh, both raw and
drefled, which we offered to them, But upon giving fome
birds to them, they did not return thefe, and eafily made us
comprehend that they were fond of fuch food. I had
brought two pigs aihore, with a view to leave them in the
woods. The indant thefe came within their reach, they fel-
zed them, as a dog would have done, by the ears, and were
for carrying them off immediately; with no other intention,
as we could perceive, but to kill them.
Being defirous of knowing the ufe of the dick which one of
our v'ifiters carried in his hand, I made figns to them to fhew
me ; and fo far fucceeded, that one of them fet up a piece
of wood as a mark, and threw at it, at the didance of about
twenty yards. But we had little reafon to commend his
dexterity; for, after repeated trials, he was dill very wide
from the objeil. Omai, to fhew them how much fuperior
our weapons were to thejr.s, then fired his mufquet at i t ;
which alarmed them fo much, that notwithdanding all we
could do or fay, they ran i.ndantly into the woods. One o f
them was fo frightened, that he let drop an axe and two
knives, that had been given to him. From us, however,
they went tp the place, where fome of the Difcovery’s people
were employed in taking water into their boat. The officer
V o i . . I. O o f •