d smokes, seen by day and night, bespoke the country to be
well inhabited; and, on anchoring, there were about thirty men assembled
upon the shore. On the boats being sent next morning, the natives went to
them without distrust; and, having piled together some pieces of wood,
presented a lighted stick to the new comers, and seemed to ask them to
set fire to the pile. Not knowing what this ceremony meant, they
complied; and the act seemed neither to excite surprise, nor to cause any
alteration in the conduct of the natives: they continued to remain about
the French party, with their wives and children, as before.

These people were of the common stature, of a black colour, and were all
naked, both men and women; and some of the latter had children fastened
to their backs, with ropes made of rushes. All the men were armed with
pointed sticks (spears), and with stones which appeared to have been
sharpened in the manner of axe heads. They had, in general, small eyes,
and the white duller than in Europeans; the mouth very wide, the teeth
white, and flat noses. Their hair, which resembled the wool of the
Caffres, was separated into shreds, and powdered with red ochre. They
were generally slender, tolerably well made, kept their shoulders back,
and upon their prominent chests, several had marks raised in the skin.
Their language, appeared harsh; the words seeming to be drawn from the
bottom of the throat.

The French tried to win them by little presents, but they rejected with
disdain every thing that was offered; even iron, looking-glasses,
handkerchiefs, and cloth. They were shown ducks and fowls, which had been
carried from the ships; and it was endeavoured to make them understand,
that such would be gladly purchased of them; but they took these animals,
with which they seemed to be unacquainted, and threw them away in anger.

The party had been about an hour with the savages when captain Marion
went on shore. One of the natives stepped forward, and offered him a
firebrand to be applied to a small heap of wood; and the captain,
supposing it was a ceremony necessary to prove that he came with friendly
intentions, set fire to the heap without hesitation. This was no sooner
done, than they retired precipitately to a small hill, and threw a shower
of stones, by which captain Marion, and the commander of the Castries
were both wounded. Some shots were then fired; and the French, returning
to their boats, coasted along the beach