The few sheep and goats we had left were not likely to fare quite so well as ourselves; there being no grass here, but what was coarse and harsh.  It was, however not so bad, but that we expected they would devour it with great greediness, and were the more surprised to find that they would not taste it; nor did they seem over-fond of the leaves of more tender plants.  Upon examination, we found their teeth loose; and that many of them had every other symptom of an inveterate sea-scurvy.  Out of four ewes and two rams which I brought from the Cape, with an intent to put ashore in this country, I had only been able to preserve one of each; and even these were in so bad a state, that it was doubtful if they could recover, notwithstanding all the care possible had been taken of them.

Some of the officers, on the 28th, went up the bay in a small boat on a shooting party; but, discovering inhabitants, they returned before noon, to acquaint me therewith; for hitherto we had not seen the least vestige of any.  They had but just got aboard, when a canoe appeared off a point about a mile from us, and soon after, returned behind the point out of sight, probably owing to a shower of rain which then fell; for it was no sooner over, than the canoe again appeared, and came within musket-shot of the ship.  There were in it seven or eight people.  They remained looking at us for some time, and then returned; all the signs of friendship we could make did not prevail on them to come nearer.  After dinner I took two boats and went in search of them, in the cove where they were first seen, accompanied by several of the officers and gentlemen.  We found the canoe (at least a-canoe) hauled upon the shore near to two small huts, where were several fire-places, some fishing-nets, a few fish lying on the shore, and some in the canoe.  But we saw no people; they probably had retired into the woods.  After a short stay, and leaving in the canoe some medals, looking-glasses, beads, &c. we embarked and rowed to the head of the cove, where we found nothing remarkable.  In turning back we put ashore at the same place as before; but still saw no people.  However, they could not be far off, as we smelled the smoke of fire, though we did not see it.  But I did not care to search farther, or to force an interview which they seemed to avoid; well knowing that the way to obtain this, was to leave the time and place to themselves.  It did not appear that any thing I had left had been touched; however, I now added a hatchet, and, with the night, returned on board.

On the 29th, were showers till the afternoon; when a party of the officers made an excursion up the bay; and Mr Forster and his party were out botanizing.  Both parties returned in the evening without meeting with any thing worthy of notice; and the two following days, every one was confined to the ship on account of rainy stormy weather.

1773 April

In the afternoon of the 1st of April, accompanied by several of the gentlemen, I went to see if any of the articles I had left for the Indians were taken away.  We found every thing remaining in the canoe; nor did it appear that any body had been there since.  After shooting some birds, one of which was a duck, with a blue-grey plumage and soft bill, we, in the evening, returned on board.