On the 4th, early in the morning, we were visited by several canoes; the people in them, about one hundred and thirty-five in number, had a few arms, but seemed unresolved what to do; sometimes staring at us in a wild manner, and then threatening us: but, at last, they traded with us, exchanging the few trifles they had brought for cloth. They were very sly, and attempted to cheat us. We fired several muskets at them, and wounded two of them; the rest, however, did not seem to be alarmed till the captain shot through one of the canoes, which struck them with a panic; and, on firing a great gun, they made off to land.

On the 5th, in the morning, two of the natives came on board, and seemed to be very peaceably inclined: we made them some presents; they exchanged what trifles they had for small pieces of cloth, which they were very fond of, and went away highly pleased, promising to bring us some fish. Some people, it seemed, came to them now-and-then from the north, plundered them of every thing they could find, and carried their wives and children away captives; and not knowing who we were, nor our design in visiting their coast, was the reason that they were at first so shy of us. To secure themselves from these free-booters, they build their houses near together on the tops of rocks, which, it seems, they can easily defend against the assaults of their enemies; but, being so subject to the ravages of those ruffians, they are much dispirited, and that may be the principal cause of their poverty and wretchedness.

Voyaging Accounts