[Footnote 71:  Beads and ribbons, and all other niceties in ornament, could be of little or no value in the estimation of those, who with difficulty could procure the necessaries of life.  The love of such trifles does not seem to be excited, till the physical wants are so far supplied, as to leave the mind free to the discursive recreations of fancy.  Their excellence or superiority in attire becomes distinctive of affluence and ease, and of course procures respect, which, by a principle inherent in human nature, all persons seek to obtain.—­E.]

Having sent some empty water-casks on shore, and left a party of men to cut wood, I went myself in the pinnace to sound, and examine the bay; during my excursion I saw several of the natives, but they all fled at my approach.  In one of the places where I landed, I found several small fires, and fresh mussels broiling upon them; here also I found some of the largest oyster-shells I had ever seen.

As soon as the wooders and waterers came on board to dinner, ten or twelve of the natives came down to the place, and looked with great attention and curiosity at the casks, but did not touch them:  They took away however the canoes which lay near the landing-place, and again disappeared.  In the afternoon, when our people were again ashore, sixteen or eighteen Indians, all armed, came boldly within about an hundred yards of them, and then stopped:  Two of them advanced somewhat nearer; and Mr Hicks, who commanded the party on shore, with another, advanced to meet them, holding out presents to them as he approached, and expressing kindness and amity by every sign he could think of, but all without effect; for before he could get up with them they retired, and it would have answered no purpose to pursue.  In the evening, I went with Mr Banks and Dr Solander to a sandy cove on the north side of the bay, where, in three or four hauls with the seine, we took above three hundred-weight of fish, which was equally divided among the ship’s company.

The next morning, before day-break, the Indians came down to the houses that were abreast of the ship, and were heard frequently to shout very loud.  As soon as it was light, they were seen walking along the beach; and soon after they retired to the woods, where, at the distance of about a mile from the shore, they kindled several fires.

Our people went ashore as usual, and with them Mr Banks and Dr Solander; who, in search of plants, repaired to the woods.  Our men, who were employed in cutting grass, being the farthest removed from the main body of the people, a company of fourteen or fifteen Indians advanced towards them, having sticks in their hands, which, according to the report of the serjeant of the marines, shone like a musquet.  The grass-cutters, upon seeing them approach, drew together, and repaired to the main body.  The Indians, being encouraged by this appearance of a flight, pursued them; they stopped however when they were within about a furlong of them, and after shouting several times went back into the woods.  In the evening they came again in the same manner, stopped at the same distance, shouted and retired.  I followed them myself, alone and unarmed, for a considerable way along the shore, but I could not prevail upon them to stop.