Hill, one of our forecastle men, it
having been tattooed with the initials of his name. We now proceeded a
little way in the woods, but saw nothing else. Our next design was to
launch the canoe, intending to destroy her; but seeing a great smoke
ascending over the nearest hill, we made all possible haste to be with
them before sunset.

"'At half after six we opened Grass Cove, where we saw one single and
three double canoes, and a great many natives assembled on the beach, who
retreated to a small hill, within a ship's length of the water side,
where they stood talking to us. On the top of the high land, beyond the
woods, was a large fire, from whence, all the way down the hill, the
place was thronged like a fair. When we entered the cove, a musketoon was
fired at one of the canoes, as we imagined they might be full of men
lying down, for they were all afloat, but no one was seen in them. Being
doubtful whether their retreat proceeded from fear or a desire to decoy
us into an ambuscade, we were determined not to be surprised, and
therefore, running close in shore, we dropped the grappling near enough
to reach them with our guns, but at too great a distance to be under any
apprehensions from their treachery. The savages on the little hill kept
their ground, hallooing, and making signs for us to land. At these we now
took aim, resolving to kill as many of them as our bullets would reach,
yet it was some time before we could dislodge them. The first volley did
not seem to affect them much, but on the second they began to scramble
away as fast as they could, some howling and others limping. We continued
to fire as long as we could see the least glimpse of any of them through
the bushes. Among these were two very robust men, who maintained their
ground without moving an inch till they found themselves forsaken by all
their companions, and then, disdaining to run, they marched off with
great composure and deliberation. One of them, however, got a fall, and
either lay there or crawled away on his hands and feet; but the other
escaped without any apparent hurt. Mr. Burney now improved their panic,
and, supported by the marines, leaped on shore and pursued the fugitives.
We had not advanced far from the water-side, on the beach, before we met
with two bunches of celery, which had been gathered by the cutter's crew.
A broken oar was stuck upright in the ground, to which the natives had
tied their canoes, whereby we were convinced