s company in their proas,
still pointing to the shore. About five o'clock we got within the mouth
of the bay, and sounded several times, but had no ground, though within a
mile of the shore. The basin of this bay was about two miles within us,
into which we might have gone; but as I was not assured of anchorage
there, so I thought it not prudent to run in at this time, it being near
night, and seeing a black tornado rising in the west, which I most
feared. Besides, we had near two hundred men in proas close by us; and
the bays on the shore were lined with men from one end to the other,
where there could not be less than three or four hundred more. What
weapons they had, we knew not, nor yet their design; therefore I had, at
their first coming near us, got up all our small arms, and made several
put on cartouch boxes, to prevent treachery. At last I resolved to go
out again; which, when the natives in their proas perceived, they began
to fling stones at us as fast as they could, being provided with engines
for that purpose, wherefore I named this place Slinger's Bay; but at the
firing of one gun they were all amazed, drew off, and flung no more
stones. They got together, as if consulting what to do; for they did not
make in towards the shore, but lay still, though some of them were killed
or wounded; and many more of them had paid for their boldness, but that I
was unwilling to cut off any of them, which, if I had done, I could not
hope afterwards to bring them to treat with me.

The next day we sailed close by an island, where we saw many smokes, and
men in the bays, out of which came two or three canoes, taking much pains
to overtake us, but they could not, though we went with an easy sail, and
I could not now stay for them. As I passed by the south-east point I
sounded several times within a mile of the Sandy Bays, but had no ground.
About three leagues to the northward of the south-east point we opened a
large, deep bay, secured from west-north-west and south-west winds. There
were two other islands that lay to the north-east of it, which secured
the bay from north-east winds; one was but small, yet woody; the other
was a league long, inhabited, and full of cocoa-nut trees. I endeavoured
to get into this bay, but there came such flaws off from the high land
over it that I could not. Besides, we had many hard squalls, which
deterred me from it; and, night coming on, I would not run any hazard,
but bore away t