their heads sent them off in the utmost confusion.  Many quitted their canoes and swam on shore; those in the great cabin leaped out of the windows; and those who were on the deck, and on different parts of the rigging, all leaped overboard.  After this we took no farther notice of them, but suffered them to come off and pick up their canoes; and some of them even ventured alongside of the ship.  Immediately after the great gun was fired, we heard the beating of drums on shore; which was, probably, the signal for the country to assemble in arms.  We now got every thing in readiness to land, to cut some wood, which we were in want of, and to try to get some refreshments, nothing of this kind having been seen in any of the canoes.

About nine o’clock, we put off in two boats, and landed in the face of four or five hundred people, who were assembled on the shore.  Though they were all armed with bows and arrows, clubs and spears, they made not the least opposition.  On the contrary, seeing me advance alone, with nothing but a green branch in my hand, one of them, who seemed to be a chief, giving his bow and arrows to another, met me in the water, bearing also a green branch, which having exchanged for the one I held, he then took me by the hand, and led me up to the crowd.  I immediately distributed presents to them, and, in the mean time, the marines were drawn up upon the beach.  I then made signs (for we understood not a word of their language) that we wanted wood; and they made signs to us to cut down the trees.  By this time, a small pig being brought down and presented to me, I gave the bearer a piece of cloth, with which he seemed well pleased.  This made us hope that we should soon have some more; but we were mistaken.  The pig was not brought to be exchanged for what we had, but on some other account, probably as a peace-offering.  For, all we could say or do, did not prevail on them to bring down, after this, above half a dozen cocoa-nuts, and a small quantity of fresh water.  They set no value on nails, or any sort of iron tools; nor indeed on any thing we had.  They would, now and then, exchange an arrow for a piece of cloth; but very seldom would part with a bow.  They were unwilling we should go off the beach, and very desirous we should return on board.  At length, about noon, after sending what wood we had cut on board, we embarked ourselves; and they all retired, some one way and some another.  Before we had dined, the afternoon was too far spent to do any thing on shore; and all hands were employed, setting up the rigging, and repairing some defects in it.  But seeing a man bring along the strand a buoy, which they had taken in the night from the kedge-anchor, I went on shore for it, accompanied by some of the gentlemen.  The moment we landed, it was put into the boat, by a man who walked off again without speaking one word.  It ought to be observed, that this was the only thing they took, or even attempted to take from us, by any means whatever.  Being