hip
neared the shore, when a vast number of people were seen peeping from
behind the rocks on shore. Another gun was fired to scare them, as it
was important to keep them at a distance while the boats were obtaining
wood and water. The ship brought up at the mouth of a small river, up
which it was hoped water might be procured. A boat was sent on shore,
and on seeing her approach the natives came off and threw cocoa-nuts
into her. While the pinnace remained here, the yawl was sent up to
search for water, and soon returned with the casks full. Dampier
afterwards sent ashore various articles, to purchase hogs, yams, and
other roots; but the natives, although they admired axes and hatchets,
would give only cocoa-nuts, and always made signs to their visitors to
begone.

During another visit the natives showed more confidence. The men wore
feathers in their heads, and had lances in their hands. The women had
no ornaments, but wore bunches of green branches before and behind, on a
string round their waists. They carried on their heads large baskets
full of yams. During the next visit the people were more shy than at
first. They had also carried off all the cocoa-nuts from the trees, and
driven away the hogs. The sailors made signs to them, to know what had
become of their hogs, when the natives, pointing to some houses at the
bottom of the bay, intimated by the noises they made that there were
hogs and goats up there, expressing by signs, such as holding out their
hands at different distances from the ground, the animals they meant.

Wood was abundant; but though the natives fully understood the word
cocoas, they did not bring any more. Dampier himself went on shore and
visited some of their huts, which were poor buildings. The doors were
made fast, as the inhabitants had fled. While he was thus employed, the
men in the yawl filled two hogsheads and the barricoes, or breakers,
with water. On his return on board, the officers and men requested
leave to go and obtain the hogs; but he was unwilling to yield to their
wishes, fearing that they would deal roughly with the natives. At last
he consented, ordering them to act cautiously for their own safety, and
to return at once should rain come on, to be exposed to which in that
climate was considered dangerous. The great guns were got ready to
cover them, should the natives appear hostile. As soon as the boat
approached, the savages crowded to the shore, shaking