I95 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



On our return to the landing-place, we found 

 upv.aids of feven hundred natives, who had 

 flocked thither from all quarters. They afked 

 us for cloth and iron in exchange for their 

 goods, and fome of them very foon proved 

 that they were moft audacious thieves. Among 

 their different tricks, I fliall mention one which 

 was played me by two of thefe (harpers. The 

 one offered to fell me a fmall bag filled with 

 oval dones which he carried at his girdle. He 

 immediately untied the bag, and pretended to 

 give it to me with one hand, while with the 

 other he received the value we had agreed on; 

 but at the fame infSant another favage, who was 

 placed behind me, fet up a loud cry, in order to 

 make me turn my head towards him and imme- 

 diately the knave ran away with his bag, and my 

 property, endeavouring to hide himfelf in the 

 crowd. We did not willi to punifh him, although 

 we were for the moft part armed with rnufl^ets. 

 Yet it was to be feared, that this act of lenity 

 would be conlidcred by thcfe people only as 

 a mark of weuknefs, and render them ftiU more 

 infolent. What happened llionly afterv/ards 

 feems to confirm this idea. Several of them 

 were fo audacious as to throw Rones at an of- 

 ficer, who was not above two hundred yards dif- 

 tance from us. Still we did not willi to break 

 with them 5 for Forller's narrative had prc- 



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