we had very little success, catching only a few
mullets, neither did we get any thing by the trawl or the dredge, except
a few shells; but we shot several birds, most of them resembling
sea-pies, except that they had black plumage, and red bills and feet.
While we were absent with our guns, the people who staid by the boats
saw two of the Indians quarrel and fight: They began the battle with
their lances, but some old men interposed and took them away, leaving
them to decide the difference, like Englishmen, with their fists: They
boxed with great vigour and obstinacy for some time, but by degrees all
retired behind a little hill, so that our people could not see the event
of the combat.

In the morning the long-boat was sent again to trawll in the bay, and an
officer, with the marines, and a party of men, to cut wood and haul the
seine. The Indians on shore appeared very peaceable and submissive, and
we had reason to believe that their habitations were at a considerable
distance, for we saw no houses, and found that they slept under the
bushes: The bay is probably a place to which they frequently resort in
parties to gather shell-fish, of which it affords incredible plenty, for
wherever we went, whether upon the hills or in the vallies, the woods or
the plains, we saw vast heaps of shells, often many waggon loads
together, some appearing to be very old, and others recent. We saw no
cultivation in this place, which had a desolate and barren appearance:
The tops of the hills were green, but nothing grew there except a large
kind of fern, the roots of which the natives had got together in large
quantities, in order to carry away with them. In the evening Mr Banks
walked up the river, which at the mouth looked fine and broad, but at
the distance of about two miles was not deep enough to cover the foot;
and the country inland was still more barren than at the sea-side. The
seine and dredge were not more successful to-day than yesterday, but the
Indians in some measure compensated for the disappointment by bringing
us several baskets of fish, some dry, and some fresh dressed; it was not
indeed of the best, but I ordered it all to be bought for the
encouragement of trade.

On the 7th, the weather was so bad that none of us left the ship, nor
did any of the Indians come on board.

On the 8th, I sent a party of men on shore to wood and water; and in the
mean time many canoes came off, in one of which was our friend Toiava;
s