When the natives saw us under sail, they came off in canoes, making exchanges with more confidence than before, and giving such extraordinary proofs of their honesty as surprised us.  As the ship, at first, had fresh way through the water, several of them dropped astern after they had received our goods, and before they had time to deliver theirs in return.  Instead of taking advantage of this, as our friends at the Society Isles would have done, they used their utmost efforts to get up with us, and to deliver what they had already been paid for.  One man, in particular, followed us a considerable time, and did not reach us till it was calm, and the thing was forgotten.  As soon as he came alongside he held up the thing which several were ready to buy; but he refused to part with it, till he saw the person to whom he had before sold it, and to him he gave it.  The person, not knowing him again, offered him something in return, which he refused, and shewed him what he had given him before.  Pieces of cloth, and marble paper, were in most esteem with them; but edge-tools, nails, and beads, they seemed to disregard.  The greatest number of canoes we had alongside at once did not exceed eight, and not more than four or five people in each, who would frequently retire to the shore all on a sudden, before they had disposed of half their things, and then others would come off.

At the time we came out of the harbour, it was about low water, and great numbers of people were then on the shoals or reefs which lie along the shore, looking, as we supposed., for shell and other fish.  Thus our being on their coast, and in one of their ports, did not hinder them from following the necessary employments.  By this time they might be satisfied we meant them no harm; so that, had we made a longer stay, we might soon have been upon good terms with this ape-like nation.  For, in general, they are the most ugly, ill-proportioned people I ever saw, and in every respect different from any we had met with in this sea.  They are a very dark-coloured and rather diminutive race; with long heads, flat faces, and monkey countenances.  Their hair mostly black or brown, is short and curly; but not quite so soft and woolly as that of a negroe.  Their beards are very strong, crisp, and bushy, and generally black and short.  But what most adds to their deformity, is a belt or cord which they wear round the waist, and tie so tight over the belly, that the shape of their bodies is not unlike that of an overgrown pismire.  The men go quite naked, except a piece of cloth or leaf used as a wrapper*.

[* The particular manner of applying the wrapper may be seen in Wafer’s voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though with some little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien.  See Wafer’s Voyage, p. 140.]