to repel any attack we might have made, and to defend
the women and children of their tribe.

The boat was then steered towards the island to which the natives had
directed us; but as we pulled along its shore in search of a
landing-place, a party of twenty or thirty Indians were observed
descending the rocky hills towards the beach, with an evident intention
of preventing our going ashore; and upon our pulling into a small bight,
where there was some appearance of a stream of water, they threatened us
with spears and stones; at the same time loudly vociferating and pointing
to us to retire. Much unintelligible parley now ensued, during which we
endeavoured to convince them that we only wanted fresh water, and had no
intention of molesting them; but although they appeared perfectly to
understand our meaning, they were determined upon resisting our attempt
to land. A stone thrown at us by one of the foremost, who stood half up
to his middle in the water, was an earnest of their hostile intentions if
we persisted, and they were on the point of assaulting us with a shower
of spears, when we pulled out and returned on board, leaving the Indians
masters of the field. There was no mischievous feeling in their conduct
towards us, for we were in their power, and had they been inclined, they
might have speared the whole of our party before a musket could have been
fired by us. Their object seemed to be merely to get rid of us, and in
this they completely and very fairly succeeded, for our party was not
numerous enough to force a landing without resorting to means which would
have entirely destroyed the friendly intercourse we had just held with
the last tribe, and for which we were perhaps solely indebted to the
opportune capture that we made upon our arrival.

In consequence of the communication that we had with these natives, the
group between Lewis Island and the main was called The Intercourse
Islands.

February 28.

Early the next morning, we left the anchorage, and took up a fresh
station off the North-East end of the island from which we were repulsed.
On our passing the north side of it, we saw no marks of fresh water; if
there be any, it must be from rain-water collected and preserved in the
holes of the rock. As we passed the east point, two natives were observed
crossing over to the main upon their logs, and this was the last we saw
of them.

Hence the strait takes a northerly direction, and was named Mermaid's