they had seen, and some of them while watching the secondhand,
looked as if they thought it alive. From the watch
they proceeded to examine the seals and keys; with the
former they shewed themselves acquainted by pressing them
on their hands, so as to cause an impression. Their attention
was drawn away from the watch by our firing a musket,
which made the whole party fall back several paces.
After amusing ourselves in this manner for some time,
we walked back to the boats, to the great joy of the natives,
who encouraged us by all means to hasten our departure.
They took our hands and helped us over the slippery stones
on the beach; and, on perceiving one of the boats aground,
several of them stript and jumped into the water to push
her off. This gave us an opportunity of observing their remarkable
symmetry and firmness of limb; yet, as their long
hair was allowed to flow about their neck and shoulders,
their appearance was truly savage. During this visit we saw
no women; but the children came round us without shewing
any symptoms of fear. The people, upon the whole, arb
more free, and not so surly as our acquaintance on Sir James
Hall’s group. They have a singular custom of speaking with
a loud tone, amounting almost to a shout. Captain Maxwell
named this island after Dr. Hutton the geologist.
4th of September.—During all last night it remained perfectly
calm. At nine o’clock in the morning we got under
weigh with a fine sea breeze, and stood in for the land,
leaving on either hand many well cultivated islands. The
main land seems to be populous, from the number of large
villages which we passed, and the cultivation which extends
a considerable way up the mountains. Our object this
morning was to discover some safe anchoring place in the
main land, but we were obliged to coast along for a considerable
distance before any opening appeared. About three
o’clock we sailed round a point of land and discovered a bay,
which, at first sight, promised shelter, but the water proved
too shallow even for the Lyra, and we anchored far out in
five fathoms. The natives who had assembled in crowds on
the point shouted to us as we passed, in seeming anger at
our approaching so near. This bay is about four miles in
diameter, and is skirted by large villages built amongst
trees, and surrounded by cultivated districts, forming altogether
a scene of considerable beauty.
As soon as the Alceste had anchored, Captain Maxwell,
Mr. Clifford, and I, went towards the nearest village in
the bay. On approaching the shore we observed a great
bustle among the inhabitants on the shore, as well as in the
boats at anchor off the village. The people on the beach
hastily jumped into canoes, whilst those in the large boats
weighed the anchors, and pulled out with such expedition, as