up bamboos* full of water, which they imagined the ships to want.  Mr. Sinclair, the Master of the Alexander, being in the boat, brought the following account of this expedition.  “Finding I could not make them understand that I wanted cocoa-nuts, and not water, I was resolved to land, and therefore put on shore as soon as I found a convenient place, amidst a concourse of between three and four hundred people.  I immediately fixed upon an old man, (whom, from an ornament of bone upon his arm, I concluded to be a chief) and made him a present of some nails and beads, which were accepted with evident pleasure, and immediately conciliated his friendship.  This was a fortunate step, as he afterwards often showed his authority by checking the most insolent of his people when they pressed forward and endeavoured to steal whatever they could seize.  One seaman holding his cutlass rather carelessly had it snatched from him, and the thief had so well watched his opportunity, that he was almost out of sight before he was distinguished.  Notwithstanding the offers of the natives in the canoes, I could not procure above thirty cocoanuts, and those green; whether it was that the people did not comprehend my signs, or that they were not inclined to carry on the traffic.  These islanders were well limbed men, moderately tall, with long hair:  many of them chewed the betel nut, and these were all furnished with a small hollow stick, apparently of ebony, out of which they struck a kind of powder like lime* Their arms were a lance, and a kind of adze hung over the shoulder; some men carrying one, and others two.  These adzes were of iron, and evidently of European manufacture.  As the place where we landed was very rocky and unpleasant for walking, when I found myself unsuccessful in the chief object for which I was sent out, I returned as expeditiously as I could.  In return for my presents, the old chief gave one to me which was not equally acceptable.  It was a mixture of fish, yams, and many other things, the odour of which, probably from the staleness of the composition, was very far from being agreeable.  When we first landed, many of the natives repeated the word, Englees, as if to enquire whether we were of that nation, but when they understood that we were they shook their heads and said, Espagnol:  possibly, therefore, the discovery of our nation might prevent them from being as courteous on shore as they had been in their canoes.”

[* Bamboos were the only water vessels in the Pelew Islands.  See Wilson, chap. xxv. p. 312.]

[* This was the Chinam, or coral, burnt to lime, always used with the betel.  See Wilson’s Account, p. 27.  The Areca is the nut, the leaves only of betel are used.  These are produced by different plants.]