T HE P A C I F I C O C E A N. 423 



caueht hold of him; but the canoe went adrift, and, be- '778. 



o June. 



ing picked up by another, was carried afliore. The youth, v— ,^~ ^ 

 by this accident, was obliged to come into the fliip ; and 

 he went down into my cabin, upon the firft invitation,, 

 without expreffing the lead reluctance, or uneafmefs. 

 His drefs was an upper garment, like a fhirt, made of 

 the large gut of fome fea-animal, probably the whale; 

 and an under garment of the fame fliape, made of the 

 fkins of birds, drefTed with the feathers on, and neatly 

 fewed. together ; the feathered fide being worn next his. 

 fkin. It was mended, or patched, with pieces of filk- 

 fluff; and his cap was ornamented with two or three forts- 

 of glafs beads. His own clothes being wet, I gave him^ 

 others, in which he drelTed himfelf, with as much eafe as I 

 could have done. From his behaviour, and that of fome- 

 others, we were convinced that thefe people were no flran— 

 gers to Europeans, and to fome of their cuiloms. But there 

 was fomething Vn our fliips that greatly excited their curio- 

 lity ; for fuch as could not come off in canoes, aflembled on. 

 the neighbouring hills to look at them. 



At low water, having weighed and towed the fhip into- 

 the harbour, we anchored there in nine fathoms v/ater, over 

 a bottom of fand and mud. The Difcovery got in foon 

 after. A launch was now fent for water; and a boat to- 

 draw the feine ; but we caught only four trout, and a few 

 other fmall fifli. 



Soon after we anchored, a native of the ifland brought 

 on board fuch another note as had been given to Cap- 

 tain Gierke. He prefented it to me ; but it was writ- 

 ten in the Rullian. language, which, . as already obferv- 

 6 ed, 



