th the queen, provisions of every kind became much more plenty at
market; but though fowls and hogs were every day brought in, we were
still obliged to pay more for them than at the first, the market having
been spoiled by the nails which our men had stolen and given to the
women; I therefore gave orders that every man should be searched before
he went on shore, and that no woman should be suffered to cross the
river.

On the 14th, the gunner being onshore to trade, perceived an old woman
on the other side of the river, weeping bitterly: When she saw that she
had drawn his attention upon her, she sent a young man, who stood by
her, over the river to him, with a branch of the plantain tree in his
hand. When he came up, he made a long speech, and then laid down his
bough at the gunner's feet: After this he went back and brought over the
old woman, another man at the same time bringing over two large fat
hogs. The woman looked round upon our people with great attention,
fixing her eyes sometimes upon one, and sometimes upon another, and at
last burst into tears. The young man who brought her over the river,
perceiving the gunner's concern and astonishment, made another speech,
longer than the first: Still, however, the woman's distress was a
mystery; but at length she made him understand that her husband, and
three of her sons, had been killed in the attack of the ship. During
this explanation, she was so affected, that at last she sunk down unable
to speak, and the two young men who endeavoured to support her, appeared
to be nearly in the same condition? They were probably two more of her
sons, or some very near relations. The gunner did all in his power to
sooth and comfort her, and when she had in some measure recovered her
recollection, she ordered the two hogs to be delivered to him, and gave
him her hand in token of friendship, but would accept nothing in return,
though he offered her ten times as much as would have purchased the hogs
at market.

The next morning, I sent the second lieutenant, with all the boats, and
sixty men, to the westward, to look at the country, and try what was to
be got. About noon he returned, having marched along the shore near six
miles. He found the country very pleasant and populous, and abounding as
well with hogs and fowls, as fruit, and other vegetables of various
kinds. The inhabitants offered him no molestation, but did not seem
willing to part with any of the provisions which our