278 A V O y A G E T O 



•778. The forc-maft being, by this time, finifhcd, we hauled it 



v_— ,r-~-' along-fide ; but the bad weather prevented our getting it in 

 till the afternoon ; and we fet about rigging it with the 

 grcatefl expedition, while the carpenters were going on with 

 the mizen-maft on fhore. They had made very confiderable 

 Thurfda) 16. progrefs in it on the i6th', when they difcovered, that the 

 dick upon which they were at work was fprung, or wound- 

 ed ; owing, as fuppofcd, to fome accident in cutting it down. 

 So that all their labour was thrown away ; and it became 

 neceflary to get another tree out of the woods, which em- 

 ployed all hands above half a day. During thefe various 

 operations, feveral of the natives, who were about the fliips, 

 looked on with an exprefFive filent furprize, which we did 

 not expect, from their general indifference and inattention. 



Saturday 18. On the i8th, a party of ftrangers, in fix or eight canoes, 

 came into the cove, where they remained, looking at us, 

 for fome time ; and then retired, without coming along- 

 fide either (hip. We fuppofed, that our old friends, who 

 were more numerous, at this time, about us, than thefe new 

 vifitcrs, would not permit them to have any intcrcourfe with 

 us. It was evident, upon this and feveral other occafions, 

 that the inhabitants of the adjoining parts of the Sound en- 

 groffed us entirely to themfelves ; or if, at any time, they 

 did not hinder Grangers from trading with us, they con- 

 trived to manage the trade for them in fuch a manner, that 

 the price of their commodities was always kept up, while 

 the value of ours was leflcning every day. We alfo found, 

 that many of the principal natives, who lived near us, car- 

 ried on a trade with more dillant tribes, in the articles 

 they had procured from us. For we obferved, that they 

 would frequently dilappcar for four or five days at a time, 

 and then return with frelh cargoes of fkins and curiofities, 



which 



