urrounding the port, where they were never out
of view of the ship: Even if they had known from the first how little
grounds there were for these fears, yet the neighbouring country
was so overgrown with wood, and so traversed by mountains, that
it appeared impracticable to penetrate to any distance, so that no
account of the interior could be expected. They were, however, in a
condition to disprove the relations given by Spanish writers, who have
represented this coast as inhabited by a fierce and powerful people,
as no such inhabitants were to be found, at least in the winter
season; for, during the whole time of their continuance here, they
never saw any more than one small Indian family, which came into the
harbour in a periagua, or canoe, about a month after the arrival of
the Anna, and consisted only of one Indian man, near forty years of
age, his wife, and two children, one about three years of age, and
the other still on the breast. They seemed to have with them all their
property, consisting of a dog and cat, a fishing net, a hatchet, a
knife, a cradle, some bark of trees, intended for covering a hut, a
reel with some worsted, a flint and steel, and a few roots of a yellow
hue, and very disagreeable taste, which served them for bread.

As soon as these were perceived, the master of the Anna sent his yawl
and brought them on board; and, lest they might discover him to the
Spaniards if permitted to go away, he took proper precautions, as he
conceived, for securing them, but without violence or ill usage, as
they were permitted to go about the ship where they pleased in the day
time, but were locked up in the forecastle at night. As they were fed
in the same manner with the crew, and were often indulged with brandy,
which they seemed greatly to relish, it did not appear at first that
they were much dissatisfied with their situation. The master took
the Indian on shore when he went to shoot, and he seemed always much
delighted on seeing the game killed. The crew also treated them with
great humanity; but it was soon apparent, though the woman continued
easy and cheerful, that the man grew pensive and discontented at his
confinement. He seemed to have good natural parts, and though utterly
unable to converse with our people otherwise than by signs, was yet
very curious and inquisitive, and showed great dexterity in his manner
of making himself understood. Seeing so few people on board so large
a ship, he seemed to e