386 cook's first voyage jan. 



resolved, however, to search the passage with the 

 ship, as soon as I should put to sea. Upon the top 

 of this hill we found a parcel of loose stones, with 

 which we erected a pyramid, and left in it some 

 musket balls, small shot, beads, and other things, 

 which we happened to have about us, that were 

 likely to stand the test of time, and, not being of 

 Indian workmanship, would convince any European 

 who should come to the place and pull it down, that 

 other natives of Europe had been there before him. 

 When this was done, we descended the hill, and 

 made a comfortable meal of the shags and fish 

 which our guns and lines had procured us, and which 

 were dressed by the boat's crew in a place that we 

 had appointed : in this place we found another 

 Indian family, who received us, as usual, with strong 

 expressions of kindness and pleasure, showing us 

 where to procure water, and doing us such other 

 good offices as were in their power. From this place 

 we went to the town of which the Indians had told 

 us, who visited us on the IQth ; this, like that which 

 we had seen before, was built upon a small island or 

 rock, so difficult of access, that "we gratified our 

 curiosity at the risk of our necks. The Indians here 

 also received us with open arms, carried us to every 

 part of the place, and showed us all that it contained: 

 this town, like the other, consisted of between eighty 

 and an hundred houses, and had only one fighting- 

 stage. We happened to have with us a few nails 

 and ribands, and some paper, with which our guests 

 were so gratified, that at our coming away they filled 

 our boat with dried fish, of which we perceived they 

 had laid up great quantities. 



The 27th and 28th were spent in refitting the 

 ship for the sea, fixing a transom for the tiller, 

 getting stones on board to put into the bottom of 

 the bread-room, to bring the ship more by the stern, 

 in repairing the casks, and catching fish. 



On the 29th, we received a visit from our old 



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