the Men ever beg any thing
at all. Neither, except once at the first time we came to an Anchor
(as I shall relate) did they steal any thing; but dealt justly, and
with great sincerity with us; and made us very welcome to their Houses
with Bashee drink. If they had none of this Liquor themselves, they
would buy a Jar of Drink of their Neighbours, and sit down with us:
for we could see them go and give a piece or two of their Gold for
some Jars of Bashee. And indeed among Wild Indians, as these seem
to be, I wonder'd to see buying and selling, which is not so usual;
nor to converse so freely, as to go aboard Stranger's Ships with so
little caution: Yet their own small Trading may have brought them
to this. At these entertainments they and their Family, Wife and
Children drank out of small Callabashes; and when by themselves, they
drink about from one to another; but when any of us came among them,
they would always drink to one of us.

They have no sort of Coin; but they have small Crumbs of the Metal
before described, which they bind up very safe in Plantain Leaves,
or the like. This Metal they exchange for what they want, giving
a small quantity of it, about 2 or 3 Grains, for a Jar of Drink,
that would hold 5 or 6 Gallons. They have no Scales, but give it by
guess. Thus much in general.

To proceed therefore with our Affairs, I have said before, that
we anchored here the 6th day of August. While we were furling our
Sails, there came near 100 Boats of the Natives aboard, with 3 or
4 Men in each; so that our Deck was full of Men. We were at first
afraid of them, and therefore got up 20 or 30 small Arms on our
Poop, and kept 3 or 4 Men as Centinels, with Guns in their Hands,
ready to fire on them if they had offered to molest us. But they
were pretty quiet, only they pickt up such old Iron that they found
on our Deck, and they also took out our Pump-Bolts, and Linch-Pins
out of the Carriages of our Guns, before we perceived them. At last,
one of our Men perceived one of them very busie getting out one of our
Linch Pins; and took hold of the fellow, who immediately bawl'd out,
and all the rest presently leaped overboard, some into their Boats,
others into the Sea; and they all made away for the Shore. But when
we perceived their Fright, we made much of him that was in hold,
who stood Trembling all the while; and at last we gave him a small
piece of Iron, with which he immediately leapt overboard and swam
to his Consorts