TO KAMTSCHATKA. l63 



even now, think how so many can find subsistence. 

 When I saw the great number of boats coming to- 

 wards us, I lay to, and we expected, with impa- 

 tience, to get acquainted with the savages, and 

 Hkewise to obtain fresh provisions from them in 

 exchange for other articles. Some of the boats, 

 which had from twelve to fifteen men on board, 

 had sails ; in each of these was an old man, who 

 was probably the commander of the rowers, who 

 had his neck adorned with a palm-wreath, and was 

 sitting, with much gravity, holding up a palm- 

 branch in his left hand (the emblem of peace 

 among the South Sea islanders). When the boats 

 had approached the Rurick, within twenty fathoms, 

 they stopped, commenced a song, with quite a 

 sorrowful melody, and, after the conclusion of this 

 ceremony, approached nearer, without venturing 

 to come on board. We now found our hopes of 

 fresh provisions disappointed, as, instead of them, 

 the savages only gave us unripe cocoa-nuts for nails, 

 and pieces of old iron, and I therefore, to reap at 

 least some advantage, revoked my former order to 

 take nothing in exchange but provisions, and permit- 

 ted everybody to provide himself as he pleased with 

 articles of the workmanship of the savages. The 

 Rurick was soon surrounded by twenty-six boats, all 

 of which, however, were forced to keep on one side, 

 because my crew was not strong enough to defend 

 the whole ship against the rapacity of three hun- 

 dred savages. The trade was now carried on 



M '2 



