14^ cook's FIRST VOYAGE JUNE, 



able part of the false keel was also wanting; and 

 these indeed we had seen swim away in fragments 

 from the vessel, while she lay beating against the 

 rock : the remainder of it was in so shattered a 

 condition that it had better have been gone; and 

 the fore-foot and main keel were also damaged, but 

 not so as to produce any immediate danger : what 

 damage she might have received abaft could not 

 yet be exactly known, but we had reason to think it 

 was not much, as but little water made its way into 

 her bottom, while the tide kept below the leak which 

 has already been described. By nine o'clock in the 

 morning the carpenters got to work upon her, while 

 the smiths were busy in making bolts and nails. In 

 the mean time, some of the people were sent on the 

 other side of the water to shoot pigeons for the sick, 

 who at their return reported that they had seen an 

 animal as large as a grey-hound, of a slender make, 

 a mouse colour, and extremely swift ; they discover- 

 ed also many Indian houses, and a fine stream of 

 fresh water. 



The next morning, I sent a boat to haul the seine ; 

 but at noon it returned with only three fish, and yet 

 we saw them in plenty leaping about the harbour. 

 This day the carpenter finished the repairs that were 

 necessary on the starboard side ; and at nine o'clock 

 in the evening, we heeled the ship the other way, 

 and hauled her off about two feet for fear of neiping. 

 This day almost every body had seen the animal 

 which the pigeon-shooters had brought an account 

 of the day before ; and one of the seamen, who had 

 been rambling in the woods, told us at his return, 

 that he verily believed he had seen the devil : we 

 naturally inquired in what form he had appeared, 

 and his answer was in so singular a style that I shall 

 set down his own words : " He was," says John, 

 " as large as a one gallon keg, and very like it ; he 

 had horns and wings, yet he crept so slowly through 

 the grass, that if I had not been afeard I might 



