, almost throttled me; whilst
another took me by the legs, and was going to throw me overboard if the old
woman had not prevented, them.

I was all this time entirely ignorant by what means I had given offence,
till I observed that the Indians, after eating the limpets, carefully put
the shells in a heap at the bottom, of the canoe. I then concluded there
was some superstition about throwing these shells into the sea, my
ignorance of which had very nearly cost me my life. I was resolved to eat
no more limpets till we landed, which we did some time after upon an
island. I then took notice that the Indians brought all their shells
ashore, and laid them above high-water mark. Here, as I was going to eat a
large bunch of berries I had gathered from a tree, for they looked very
tempting, one of the Indians snatched them out of my hand and threw them
away, making me to understand that they were poisonous. Thus, in all
probability, did these people now save my life, who, a few hours before,
were going to take it from me for throwing away a shell.

In two days after I joined my companions again, but don't remember that
there was the least joy shewn on either side at meeting. At this place was
a very large canoe belonging to our guide, which would have required at
least six men to the oar to have made any kind of expedition; instead of
that, there was only Campbell and myself, besides the Indian, his companion
or servant, to row, the cacique himself never touching an oar, but sitting,
with his wife all the time much at his ease. Mr Hamilton continued in the
same canoe he had been in all along, and which still was to keep us company
some way further, though many of the others had left us. This was dreadful
hard work to such poor starved wretches as we were, to be slaving at the
oar all day long in such a heavy boat; and this inhuman fellow would never
give us a scrap to eat, excepting when he took so much seal that he could
not contrive to carry it all away with him, which happened very seldom.

After working like galley slaves all day, towards night, when we landed,
instead of taking any rest, Mr Campbell and I were sometimes obliged to go
miles along shore to get a few shell-fish; and just as we have made a
little fire in order to dress them, he has commanded us into the boat
again, and kept us rowing the whole night without ever landing. It is
impossible for me to describe the miserable state we were reduced to: Our
bodies we