ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 25 



rocks that appears above water runs out to a distance of about a 

 cable's length. Upon this point we saw a large canoe, with an 

 awning or shaile built over it'; and a little to the westward, another 

 large town, fronted, and probably surrounded, with a breastwork 

 of stone like the last ; here also the people thronged to the beach 

 as the ship was passing, and performed the same kind of circu- 

 lar dance. After a little time they launched several canoes and 

 made towards us, upon which we lay to, that they might have 

 time to come up, and we conceived great hopes that we should 

 prevail upon them to come on board, but when they came near 

 enough to have a more distinct view of us they lay upon their 

 paddles and gazed at us, but seemed to have no design of advanc- 

 ing further, and therefore we made sail and left them behind us.. 

 Having hauled round this cape, we found the land trend to the 

 southward, and we continued to stand along the shore till we 

 opened the western, passage into the lagoon between Trevanion's 

 Island and the main land. In this place, both the main and the 

 island appeared to be one continued tov/n, and the inha^bitants 

 were innumerable. We sent a boat to examine this entrance or 

 passage, and found the bottom to be coral and rock, with very 

 irregular soundings over it. As soon as the natives saw the boat 

 leave the ship they sent off several armed canoes to attack her ; 

 the first that came within bow-shot discharged their arrows at 

 the people on board, who, beiug ready, fired a volley, by which 

 one of the Indians was killed and another wounded ; at the same 

 time we fired a great gun from the ship, loaded with grape shot, 

 among them, upon which they all pulled tack to the shore with 

 great precipitation, except the canoe which began the attack, and 

 that being secured by the boat's crew, with the wounded man in 

 her, was brought to the ship. I immediately ordered the Indian 

 to be taken on board, and the surgeon to examine his wounds ; it 

 appeared that one shot had gone through his head, and that his 

 arm w^as broken by another. The surgeon was of opinion that 

 the wound in his head was mortal, I therefore ordered him to bo 

 put again into his canoe, and, notwithstanding his condition, he 

 paddled away towards the shore. He was a young man, with a 



