244 cook's voyage to march. 



appearances, we were not yet sure that there were 

 any inlets ; but as we were in a deep bay, I resolved 

 to anchor, with a view to endeavour to get some 

 water, of which, by this time, we were in great want. 

 At length, as we advanced, the existence of the inlet 

 was no longer doubtful. At five o'clock we reached 

 the west point of it, where we were becalmed for 

 some time. While in this situation, I ordered all the 

 boats to be hoisted out to tow the ships in. But 

 this was hardly done, before a fresh breeze sprung 

 up again at north-west, with which we were enabled 

 to stretch up into an arm of the inlet, that was ob- 

 served by us to run in to the north-east. There we 

 were again becalmed, and obliged to anchor in eighty- 

 five fathoms' water, and so near the shore as to 

 reach it with a hawser. The wind failed the Dis- 

 covery before she got within the arm, where she 

 anchored, and found only seventy fathoms. 



We no sooner drew near the inlet, than we found 

 the coast to be inhabited ; and at the place where 

 we were first becalmed, three canoes came off to the 

 ship. In one of these were two men, in another six, 

 and in the third ten. Having come pretty near us, 

 a person in one of the two last stood up, and made a 

 long harangue, inviting us to land, as we guessed by 

 his gestures. At the same time, he kept strewing 

 handfuls of feathers towards us* ; and some of his 

 companions threw handfuls of red dust or powder in 

 the same manner. The person who played the orator, 

 wore the skin of some animal, and held in each hand 

 something which rattled as he kept shaking it. After 

 tiring himself with his repeated exhortations, of which 

 we did not understand a word, he was quiet ; and 

 then others took it, by turns, to say something, 

 though they acted their part neither so long, nor 



* The natives of this coast, twelve degrees farther south, also 

 brought feathers as presents to Sir Francis Drake on his arrival. 

 See an account of his voyage in Campbell's edit, of Harris, vol. i. 

 p. 18. 



