1770. ROUND THE WORLD. 385 



were fired, one with small shot and two with ball, at 

 the Indians, who retired with the utmost precipita- 

 tion, having probably come out with friendly inten- 

 tions; for such their behaviour both before and after- 

 wards expressed ; and having no reason to expect 

 such treatment from people who had always behaved 

 to them not only with humanity but kindness, and 

 to whom they were not conscious of having given 

 offence. 



On the 25th, I made another excursion along 

 the coast, in the pinnace, towards the mouth of the 

 inlet, accompanied by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, 

 and going on shore at a little cove, to shoot shags, 

 we fell in with a large family of Indians, whose cus- 

 tom it is to disperse themselves among the different 

 creeks and coves, where fish is to be procured in the 

 greatest plenty, leaving a few only in the hippah, to 

 which the rest repair in times of danger. Some of 

 these people came out a good way to meet us, and 

 gave us an invitation to go with them to the rest of 

 their party, which we readily accepted. We found a 

 company of about thirty, men, women, and children, 

 who received us with all possible demonstrations of 

 friendship : we distributed among them a few ribands 

 and beads, and, in return, received the kisses and em- 

 braces of both sexes, both young and old : they gave 

 us also some fish, and after a little time we returned, 

 much pleased with our new acquaintance. 



In the morning of the 26th, I went again out in 

 the boat, with Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, and en- 

 tered one of the bays, which lie on the east side of 

 the inlet, in order to get another sight of the streight, 

 which passed between the eastern and western seas. 

 For this purpose, having landed at a convenient 

 place, we climbed a hill of a very considerable 

 height, from which we had a full view of it, with the 

 land on the opposite shore, which we judged to be 

 about four leagues distant ; but as it was hazy in the 

 horizon, we could not see far to the south-east : 1 



VOL. I. c c 



