1774. ROUND THE WORLD. 13 



turn for the part she had taken in all our transactions, 

 private as well as public. For I was no sooner re- 

 turned from the pond, the first time I landed, than 

 this old lady presented to me a girl, giving me to un- 

 derstand she was at my service. Miss, who probably 

 had received her instructions, wanted, as a prelimi- 

 nary article, a spike-nail, or a shirt, neither of which 

 I had to give her, and soon made them sensible of my 

 poverty. I thought, by that means, to have come off 

 with flying colours ; but I was mistaken ; for they gave 

 me to understand Imight retire with her on credit. On 

 my declining this proposal, the old lady began to argue 

 with me ; and then abuse me. Though I compre- 

 hended little of what she said, her actions were ex- 

 pressive enough, and showed that her words were to 

 this effect, sneering in my face, saying, what sort of a 

 man are you, thus to refuse the embraces of so fine a 

 young woman ? For the girl certainly did not want 

 beauty; which, however, I could better withstand, 

 than the abuses of this worthy matron, and therefore 

 hastened into the boat. They wanted me to take the 

 young lady aboard ; but this could not be done, as I 

 had given strict orders, before I went ashore, to suffer 

 no woman, on any pretence whatever, to come into 

 the ship, for reasons which J shall mention in another 

 place. 



As soon as the surgeon got ashore, he dressed the 

 man's wounds, and bled him ; and was of opinion that 

 he was in no sort of danger, as the shot had done little 

 more than penetrate the skin. In the operation, some 

 poultice being wanting, the. surgeon asked for ripe 

 plantains ; but they brought sugar-cane, and having 

 chewed it to a pulp, gave it him to apply to the wound. 

 This being of a more balsamic nature than the other, 

 proves that these people have some knowledge of 

 simples. As soon as the man's wounds were dressed, 

 I made him a present, which his master, or at least 

 the man who owned the canoe, took most probably 

 to himself. Matters being thus settled, apparently to 



