544 AVOYAOETO 



'779- to, in order to furnifli an opportunity to the natives, of 



January. i i j 



^—^^^ trading with us. They fometimes came on board, while we 

 were five leagues from the Ihore. But, whether from a 

 fear of lofing their goods in the fea, or from the uncertainty 

 of a market, they never brought much with them. The 

 principal article procured was fait, which was extremely 

 good. 



Friday c. *^ ^^^ 5^^^ ^^ ^^^^ morniug, we pafTed the South point of 



the ifland, which lies in the latitude of 18" 54' ; and beyond 

 it we found the coaft to trend North, 60° Weft. On this 

 point Hands a pretty large village, the inhabitants of which 

 thronged off to the fliip with hogs and women. It was not 

 poffible to keep the latter from coming on board ; and no 

 women, I ever met with, were Icfs rcferved. hidecd, it ap- 

 peared to me, that they vifitcd us with no other view, than 

 to make a furrender of their perfons. As I had now got a 

 quantity of fait, I purchafed no hogs but fuch as were fit 

 for falling; refufing all that were under fize. However, wc 

 could feldom get any above fifty or fixty pounds weight. 

 It was happy for us, that we had ftill fomc vegetables on 

 board ; for we now received few fuch produ(?lions. Indeed, 

 this part of the country, from its appearance, did not fcem 

 capable of affording them. Marks of its having been laid 

 wade by the explofion of a volcano, every where prcfcnted 

 themfelves ; and though we had, as yet, fcen nothing like 

 one upon the ifland, the devaftation that it iiad made, in 

 this neighbourhood, was vifible to the naked eye. 



This part of the coaft is fliehercd from the reigning winds; 

 but we could find no bottom to anchor upon ; a line of an 

 hundred and fixty fathoms not reaching it, within tlie dif- 

 tance of half a mile from the fliorc. The iflanders having 



all 



