-Mi P R B E ' A G . fii
p. 92- and longitude ¡44" 58’ wsft, ifiey difeovitì-ed a lew fmall iflahd bsàriftg W. S. W.
altd forni after few aaéthee tè winawàrd bearing E.-. B-. E. which-'appeared to be
larger than the fornirti
They ftosd for the finali ¡(land; wfeteh had a yery beautiful appearance; be*
ing fiitrounded by a beach of the fineft white faftd, and within cbvered'wlth
tall trees, without underwood,- which formed the mòli delightful grove's that
can be imagined. It appeared to be about five, miles in circumference; and
they fobn perceived that it was inhabited, ai many o f the natives appeared
upon the beach, with fpears in their hands. But to their great regret and dif*
appointment, they couid hot find either harbour or anchorage oh the eòaft -of
f - 93- it. The fcUrvy at this time raged With dreadful havoekambng the etetvs; and
the few poor Wretches who were able to crawl upon the' deck, Hood gazing at
this little paradife; which nature had forbidden them to enter, with ièfifatiohs
that cannot be eafily conceived. They plainly faw coCoa nut trees, and had
reafon to fnppoft there were other fruits on it that would afford them re*
lief; and their being in fight of them without a pofiibility of obtaining them.
Was no iuconfiderable increafe o f the diftrefs which they fuffered through'the
want o f . them. .
P- 94- As the Ihips circumnavigated the iflànd, the natives tan along there abreaft
of them, brandiihing their fpears, and making many figns of hoftile intentions.
And on one of the boats approaching the there in order to found, they waded
into the water, and feetned tp watch for an opportunity o f laying hold of it;
P. 95; the people, however, prevented their defign. . Thefe Marniere are of- a deep
copper colour, exceedingly ilout and wel-1 limbed, and remarkably nimble and
adtiyé. .
p. 95. Finding no anchoring ground òn this ifland, which lies in latitude 14* 5’ :fbuth,
longitude 1450 4’ weft, they worked up to the other, and the ’next day brought
to on the weft fide of it, about three quarters òf a mile from the ihore. As the
boats approached to found, the Indians here alfo randown to the beach in great
numbers, armed with long ipears and clubs,, and ufing many threatening
geftures. Commodore Byron feeing this, ordered a nine-pound ihot to be fired,
over
%
over their heads ; upon which they ran into the woods with great precipitation. .
And perceiving that it was impoflible to procure at thefe iflands any refreihment P- 96.
for the lick, whofe fituation was . becoming more deplorable every hour, he
named them the Iflands of Difappointment, The middle of this clufter of p. 95.
iflands, for as they failed along they had obferved feveral other low. ones, or
rather peninfulas, lies in latitude 14“ 10’ fouth, longitude 1440 52’ weft.
-In the afternoon of the 9th theyfaw land again ; and the next morning dif- p* 97*
covered it to be a long low land, with a white beach, of a pleafant appearance,
full o f cocoa nut and other trees, and Surrounded with a rock of red coral.
/The natives, when they faw the ihips, made great fires, as was done at the
other iflands, by way o f alarm; and in the fame manner ran along the beach
armed. Upon the boats making to the ihore, two large double canoes with p. 99»
about thirty men in each, all armed, gave them chace; but upon their turning
towards them the Indians were feized with a fudden pannick, and hauling
down their fails, paddled back again at a furprizing rate; and notwithstanding
the dreadful furf that broke upon the ihore, ‘puflied through it, and immediately
hauled their canoes upon the beach. The boats followed, and the
natives; dreading an invafion o f their coaft, defended it with clubs and Stones«
upon which the men, having before made every fign of friendihip they could
invent without effedt, fired and killed two or three of them; one o f them received
three balls which went quite through his body; yet, he afterwards took
up a large ftone and died in the adtion of throwing it ajgainft his enemy. This
man fell clofe to the boat, fo that his companions did not dare to carry off
his body, which gave the crews an opportunity of examining o f it j but -taking
up the others that were killed, they retired to the main body. The boats then
returned, and brought off with them the twd^canoes, which were both of a
very curious conftrudtion.
After fearching in vain for anchorage, the boats found means to land on the p. IOr.
n th , and to procure fome fruit.. They faw many houfes or wigwams which
were totally deferted, a ihot having been fired over the heads of a ¡great number
of the natives that were affembled the day before. Their dogs, however, remained,
who kept an inceflant howling during the whole time 'of their being
afliore.