M. de Bougainville, who, in January 1768, just one year before us, had been on shore upon this coast in latitude 53° 40’ 41", had, among other things, given glass to the people whom he found here; for he says, that a boy about twelve years old took it into his head to eat some of it: by this unhappy accident he died in great misery; but the endeavours of the good father, the French Aumonier, were more successful than those of the Surgeon; for though the Surgeon could not save his life, the charitable Priest found means to steal a Christian baptism upon him so secretly, that none of his Pagan relations knew any thing of the matter. These people might probably have some of the very glass which Bougainville left behind him either from other natives, or perhaps from himself; for they appeared rather to be a travelling hord, than to have any fixed habitation. Their houses are built to stand but for a short time; they have no utensil or furniture but the basket and satchel, which have been mentioned before, and which have handles adapted to the carrying them about, in the hand and upon the back; the only cloathing they had here was scarcely sufficient to prevent their perishing with cold in the summer of this country, much less in the extreme severity of winter; the shell-fish which seems to be their only food must soon be exhausted at any one place; and we had seen houses upon what appeared to be a deserted station in St. Vincent’s bay.

Voyaging Accounts