natives lay in their proas round us; to whom I showed
beads, knives, glasses, to allure them to come nearer; but they would
come so nigh as to receive anything from us. Therefore I threw out some
things to them, namely a knife fastened to a piece of board, and a glass
bottle corked up with some beads in it, which they took up and seemed
well pleased. They often struck their left breast with their right hand,
and as often held up a black truncheon over their heads, which we thought
was a token of friendship; wherefore we did the like. And when we stood
in towards their shore they seemed to rejoice; but when we stood off they
frowned, yet kept us company in their proas, still pointing to the shore.
About 5 o'clock we got within the mouth of the bay and sounded several
times, but had no ground though within a mile of the shore. The basin of
this bay was above 2 miles within us, into which we might have gone; but,
as I was not assured of anchorage there, so I thought it not prudence to
run in at this time; it being near night and seeing a black tornado
rising in the west, which I most feared: besides we had near 200 men in
proas close by us. And the bays on the shore were lined with men from one
end to the other, where there could not be less than 3 or 400 more. What
weapons they had we know not, nor yet their design. Therefore I had, at
their first coming near us, got up all our small arms, and made several
put on cartouch boxes to prevent treachery. At last I resolved to go out
again: which, when the natives in their proas perceived, they began to
fling stones at us as fast as they could, being provided with engines for
that purpose (wherefore I named this place Slingers Bay). But at the
firing of one gun they were all amazed, drew off and flung no more
stones. They got together as if consulting what to do; for they did not
make in towards the shore, but lay still, though some of them were killed
or wounded; and many of them had paid for their boldness, but that it was
unwilling to cut off any of them; which, if I had done, I could not hope
afterwards to bring them to treat with me.

SMALL ISLANDS.

The next day we sailed close by an island where we saw many smokes, and
men in the bays; out of which came 2 canoes, taking much pains to
overtake us, but they could not, though we went with an easy sail; and I
could not now stay for them. As I passed by the south-east point I
sounded several times within a mile of the sandy