they ran along the shore by me a good
way. I observed they had no weapons in their hand, except one, who had a
long slender stick, which Xury said was a lance, and that they could
throw them a great way with good aim; so I kept at a distance, but talked
with them by signs as well as I could; and particularly made signs for
something to eat: they beckoned to me to stop my boat, and they would
fetch me some meat. Upon this I lowered the top of my sail and lay by,
and two of them ran up into the country, and in less than half-an-hour
came back, and brought with them two pieces of dried flesh and some corn,
such as is the produce of their country; but we neither knew what the one
or the other was; however, we were willing to accept it, but how to come
at it was our next dispute, for I would not venture on shore to them, and
they were as much afraid of us; but they took a safe way for us all, for
they brought it to the shore and laid it down, and went and stood a great
way off till we fetched it on board, and then came close to us again.

We made signs of thanks to them, for we had nothing to make them amends;
but an opportunity offered that very instant to oblige them wonderfully;
for while we were lying by the shore came two mighty creatures, one
pursuing the other (as we took it) with great fury from the mountains
towards the sea; whether it was the male pursuing the female, or whether
they were in sport or in rage, we could not tell, any more than we could
tell whether it was usual or strange, but I believe it was the latter;
because, in the first place, those ravenous creatures seldom appear but
in the night; and, in the second place, we found the people terribly
frighted, especially the women. The man that had the lance or dart did
not fly from them, but the rest did; however, as the two creatures ran
directly into the water, they did not offer to fall upon any of the
negroes, but plunged themselves into the sea, and swam about, as if they
had come for their diversion; at last one of them began to come nearer
our boat than at first I expected; but I lay ready for him, for I had
loaded my gun with all possible expedition, and bade Xury load both the
others. As soon as he came fairly within my reach, I fired, and shot him
directly in the head; immediately he sank down into the water, but rose
instantly, and plunged up and down, as if he were struggling for life,
and so indeed he was; he immediately made to the shore; b