some canoes came
about us, and made signs for us to come ashore, as all the rest had done
before, probably thinking we could run the ship aground anywhere, as they
did their proas, for we saw neither sail nor anchor among any of them,
though most Eastern Indians have both. These had proas made of one tree,
well dug, with outriggers on one side; they were but small, yet well
shaped. We endeavoured to anchor, but found no ground within a mile of
the shore. We kept close along the north side, still sounding till we
came to the north-east end, but found no ground, the canoes still
accompanying us, and the bays were covered with men going along as we
sailed. Many of them strove to swim off to us, but we left them astern.
Being at the north-east point, we found a strong current setting to the
north-west, so that though we had steered to keep under the high island,
yet we were driven towards the flat one. At this time three of the
natives came on board. I gave each of them a knife, a looking-glass, and
a string of beads. I showed them pumpkins and cocoa-nut shells, and made
signs to them to bring some aboard, and had presently three cocoa-nuts
out of one of the canoes. I showed them nutmegs, and by their signs I
guessed they had some on the island. I also showed them some gold dust,
which they seemed to know, and called out "Manneel, Manneel," and pointed
towards the land. A while after these men were gone, two or three canoes
came from the flat island, and by signs invited us to their island, at
which the others seemed displeased, and used very menacing gestures and,
I believe, speeches to each other. Night coming on, we stood off to sea,
and having but little wind all night, were driven away to the north-west.
We saw many great fires on the flat island. The last men that came off
to us were all black as those we had seen before, with frizzled hair.
They were very tall, lusty, well-shaped men. They wear great things in
their noses, and paint as the others, but not much. They make the same
signs of friendship, and their language seems to be one; but the others
had proas, and these canoes. On the sides of some of these we saw the
figures of several fish neatly cut, and these last were not so shy as the
others.

Steering away from Cave's Island south-south-east, we found a strong
current against us, which set only in some places in streams, and in them
we saw many trees and logs of wood, which drove by us. We had