ost gratify them, I laid down before them a
Johannes, a guinea, a crown piece, a Spanish dollar, a few shillings,
some new halfpence, and two large nails, making signs that they should
take what they liked best. The nails were first seized, with great
eagerness, and then a few of the halfpence, but the silver and gold lay
neglected. Having presented them, therefore, with some nails and
halfpence, I sent them on shore superlatively happy.

From this time our market was very ill supplied, the Indians refusing to
sell provisions at the usual price, and making signs for large nails. It
was now thought necessary to look more diligently about the ship, to
discover what nails had been drawn; and it was soon round that all the
belaying cleats had been ripped off, and that there was scarcely one of
the hammock nails left. All hands were now ordered up, and I practised
every artifice I could think of to discover the thieves, but without
success. I then told them, that till the thieves were discovered, not a
single man should go on shore: This however produced no effect, except
that Proctor the corporal behaved in a mutinous manner, for which he was
instantly punished.

On Saturday the 11th, in the afternoon, the gunner came on board with a
tall woman, who seemed to be about five-and-forty years of age, of a
pleasing countenance and majestic department. He told me that she was
but just come into that part of the country, and that seeing great
respect paid her by the rest of the natives, he had made her some
presents; in return for which she had invited him to her house, which
was about two miles up the valley, and gave him some large hogs; after
which she returned with him to the watering-place, and expressed a
desire to go on board the ship, in which he had thought it proper, on
all accounts, that she should be gratified. She seemed to be under no
restraint, either from diffidence or fear, when she first came into the
ship; and she behaved, all the while she was on board, with an easy
freedom, that always distinguishes conscious superiority and habitual
command. I gave her a large blue mantle, that reached from her shoulders
to her feet, which I threw over her, and tied on with ribbands; I gave
her also a looking-glass, beads of several sorts, and many other things,
which she accepted with a very good grace, and much pleasure. She took
notice that I had been ill, and pointed to the shore. I understood that
she meant I should go