TO THE COAST OF AMERICA. J 



vifit, there happened, on the 5 th of Augufr, about 2 

 in the afternoon, an eclipfe of the fun, which con- 

 tinued for an hour and a half. This excited great af- 

 tonilhment in the Konseges, as people who had not the 

 ilighteft notion of the caufe of this phenomenon, but 

 was attended with no farther confequences. 



On the 7th of Auguft, I fent workmen, for the fe- 

 cond time, in four baidars, partly for the purpofe of 

 looking for the coverts of animals, partly for exploring 

 the ifland itfelf ; with orders to go as far about it as 

 they fhould rind it poffible. They faw, on the 9th of 

 Auguft, at the diftance of about 40 verfts from the har- 

 bour, a multitude of favages affembled on a very fteep 

 and broad rock, ftanding alone, and inacceffible from 

 the fea, which on one lide was five feet in height, but 

 on the other ;more than feven. My people fpoke to 

 thefe favages; telling them, " that they might fafely 

 •receive us as friends but, inftead of regarding what 

 t'heyfaid, the favages fternly infilled, cc that we fhould 

 retire from their coafts, if we had any regard for our 

 lives, and never come near them again]" As foon as 

 I was made acquainted with this, I immediately went 

 thither with my people, and reprefented to them ; iC that 

 they might as well lay afide their infolence, and rather 

 enter into a friendly traffic with 11 s;" at the fame time 

 affuring them, <c that we, on our parts, were come, 

 not for engaging in quarrels and hoftilities, but to 

 gain their affection in a friendly intercourfe ; and, as a 

 proof of it, I promifed to make them prefents to the 

 utmoft of my ability, of fucli articles as were moll e& 

 timable to them." There was then a great number of 

 jthern, at leaft 4000 perfons. They paid not the lean: 



b 4 attention 



