Indians should not come down in great numbers, and that they should keep
on one side of the river and we on the other. After this the old man
went away with great appearance of satisfaction, and before noon a trade
was established, which furnished us with hogs, fowls, and fruit in great
abundance, so that all the ship's company, whether sick or well, had as
much as they could use.

SECTION VI.

_The Sick sent on Shore, and a regular Trade established with the
Natives; some Account of their Character and Manners, of their Visits on
board the Ship, and a Variety of Incidents that happened during this
Intercourse_.

Matters being thus happily settled, I sent the surgeon, with the second
lieutenant, to examine the country, and fix upon some place where the
sick might take up their residence on shore. When they returned, they
said, that with respect to health and convenience, all the places they
had seen upon the island seemed to be equally proper; but that with
respect to safety, they could recommend none but the watering-place, as
they would be there under the protection of the ship and the guard, and
would easily be prevented from straggling into the country, and brought
off to their meals. To the watering-place therefore I sent them, with
those that were employed in filling the casks, and appointed the gunner
to command the party that was to be their guard. A tent was erected for
them as a shelter both from the sun and the rain, and the surgeon was
sent to superintend their conduct, and give his advice if it should be
wanted. It happened that walking out with his gun, after he had seen the
sick properly disposed of in the tent, a wild duck flew over his head,
which he shot, and it fell dead among some of the natives who were on
the other side of the river. This threw them into a panic, and they all
ran away; when they got to some distance they stopped, and he made signs
to them to bring the duck over: This one of them at last ventured to do,
and, pale and trembling, laid it down at his feet. Several other ducks
happening at the instant to fly over the spot where they were standing,
he fired again, and fortunately brought down three more. This incident
gave the natives such a dread of a gun, that if a musket was pointed at
a thousand of them, they would all run away like a flock of sheep; and
probably the ease with which they were afterwards kept at a distance,
and their orderly behaviour in their traffic, was in