unity to examine it; but they carried
off the rest of their dead, and made the best of their way back to their
companions at the inlet. Our boats then returned, and brought off the
two canoes, which they had pursued. One of them was thirty-two feet
long, and the other somewhat less, but they were both of a very curious
construction, and must have cost those who made them infinite labour.
They consisted of planks exceedingly well wrought, and in many places
adorned with carving; these planks were sewed together, and over every
seam there was a stripe of tortoise-shell, very artificially fastened,
to keep out the weather: Their bottoms were as sharp as a wedge, and
they were very narrow; and therefore two of them were joined laterally
together by a couple of strong spars, so that there was a space of about
six or eight feet between them: A mast was hoisted in each of them, and
the sail was spread between the masts: The sail, which I preserved, and
which is now in my possession, is made of matting, and is as neat a
piece of work as ever I saw: their paddles were very curious, and their
cordage was as good and as well laid as any in England, though it
appeared to be made of the outer covering of the cocoa-nut. When these
vessels sail, several men sit upon the spars which hold the canoes
together.

As the surf, which broke very high upon the shore, rendered it
impossible to procure refreshments for the sick in this part of the
island, I hauled the wind, and worked back to the inlet, being
determined to try once more what could be done there.

I recovered that station in the afternoon, and immediately sent the
boats to sound the inlet again, but they confirmed the account which had
been made before, that it afforded no anchorage for a ship. While the
boats were absent, I observed a great number of the natives upon the
point near the spot where we had left them in the morning, and they
seemed to be very busy in loading a great number of large canoes which
lay close to the beach. As I thought they might be troublesome, and was
unwilling that they should suffer by another unequal contest with our
people, I fired a shot over their heads, which produced the effect I
intended, for they all disappeared in a moment.

Just before the evening closed in, our boats landed, and got a few
cocoa-nuts, which they brought off, and saw none of the inhabitants. In
the night, during which we had rain and hard squalls, I stood off and on
with