the water.

The day after I came in, the governor and his family did me
the honour to dine on board, when I was also favoured with the
company of _Ara-ba-noo_, whom I found to be a very good
natured talkative fellow; he was about thirty years of age, and
tolerably well looked.

I expressed, when at the governor's, much surprize, at not
having seen a single native on the shore, or a canoe as we came
up in the ship; the reason of which I could not comprehend, until
I was informed that the small-pox had made its appearance, a few
months ago, amongst these unfortunate creatures, and that it was
truly shocking to go round the coves of this harbour, which were
formerly so much frequented by the natives; where, in the caves
of the rocks, which used to shelter whole families in bad
weather, were now to be seen men, women, and children, lying
dead. As we had never yet seen any of these people who have been
in the smallest degree marked with the small-pox, we had reason
to suppose they have never before now been affected by it, and
consequently are strangers to any method of treating it: and, if
we consider the various attitudes, which the different dead
bodies have been found in, we may easily believe, that when any
of them are taken ill, and the malady assumes the appearance of
the small-pox, (having already experienced its fatality to whole
families,) they are immediately deserted by their friends, and
left to perish, in their helpless situation, for want of
sustenance. Some have been found sitting on their haunches, with
their heads reclined between their knees; others were leaning
against a rock, with their head resting upon it: I have seen
myself, a woman sitting on the ground, with her knees drawn up to
her shoulders, and her face resting on the sand between her
feet.

Two children, a boy of six or seven years of age, and a girl
about ten, were lately picked up, labouring under the same
disease; two old men, whom we had reason to believe were the
fathers of the two children, were picked up at the same time, and
brought to the hospital, and much care taken of them: the two men
lived but a few days, but the children both recovered, and seemed
well satisfied with their _very comfortable situation_.
Through the means of these children, if they should retain their
native language, a more intimate and friendly intercourse with
the people of this country may in time be brought about.

Five or six days after my arrival, po