g morning a
great number of boats were seen coming down the several creeks, which,
concentrating at the bottom of a small village a little way up the
largest creek, at last came on their way towards the ship, in number
about thirty, with about four men in each boat. It had been before
understood that not one person would be admitted with arms, and only ten
people at a time. His majesty did not choose to make his appearance, but
had instructed those that did come to say, that he had consulted his
diviners, and they had pronounced the day an inauspicious one. We were,
therefore, deprived of his royal presence; but, if he was as big a thief
as those he sent to represent him, his majesty was qualified for a more
exalted sphere--the gallows: such a set of rogues I have never seen in
the whole course of my life. They brought oranges, plantains, &c., and
some few ducks, chickens, and eggs, for barter; but they were such
thieves that you could not trust them even to handle the article you
wished to barter. If you trusted it out of your own hand, it was handed
by them from one to another, and ultimately to their canoes, and then
you might "fish for it," to use a soldier's term. A ludicrous scene took
place between a tar and one of these fellows. Jack offered his blanket
for sale, as he had now got into a warm climate, and it was of no
further use to him. Jack, in good, sound, and intelligible English,
particularized the length, breadth, and quality of his blanket,
qualifying his description with many an oath, not one syllable of which
did the purchaser understand. During the examination of the said
blanket, Jack kept hold of one end, pledging his tarry honour to the
authenticity of his assertion that it was a real Witney. Some one at
this moment took off Jack's attention, and he withdrew his hand from the
blanket, which soon found its way to the canoe. The tar uttered sundry
imprecations touching his "day-lights" and "grappling-irons," and was up
on deck and down into the canoe in a moment, overhauling everything; but
neither the blanket nor the purchaser was to be found. At this the
sailor ran about like a madman, until, at last, he espied the fellow
moving down the fore-hatchway. Being certain of his man, he took one
hop, skip, and jump, and fastened on the fellow's neck, vociferating,
"Halloa, shipmate, where have you stowed my blanket? Come, skull it
over, or I shall board you before you can say luff." The fellow did not,
of