the  If  and  of  Sumatra.  1 75 
They  do  not  chew  betel,  a cuftom  which  prevails  uni- 
verfally  among  the  Eaftern  nations. 
I went  on  iliore  the  day  after  the  veflel  anchored  in 
the  bay,  hoping  to  be  able  to  fee  fomething  of  the  coun- 
try, and  to  meet  with  fome  of  the  . chiefs.  I faw  a few 
houfes  near  the  beach,  and  went  towards  them ; but  the 
natives  flocked  down  to  the  beach,  to  the  number  of 
lixty  or  feventy  men,  well  armed  with  their  lances,  8cc. . 
and  put  themfelves  in  our  way ; yet,  when  we  approached 
them,  they  retreated  flowly,  making  fome  few  threaten- 
ing geftures.  I then  ordered  my  companions  to  halt  and  ; 
to  be  wTell  on  their  guard,  and  went  alone  towards  them : : 
they  permitted  me  to  come  amongft  them,  and  I gave 
them  fome  knives,  pieces  of  cloth,  and  looking-glafles, , 
with  all  which  they  feemed  well  pleafed,  and  allowed  me 
to  take  from  them  their  lances,  See.  and  give  them  to, 
my  fervant,  whom  I called  to  take  them.  Finding  them 
to  behave  civilly,  I made  iigns  that  I .wanted  to  go  to  their 
houfes  and  eat  with  them ; they  immediately  fent  people 
who  brought  me  cocoa-nuts,  hut  did  not  feem  to  approve 
of  my  going  to  their  houfes : however,  I determined  to  > 
venture  thither,  and  feeing  a path  leading  towards  them,  . 
I went  forward  attended  by  about  twenty  of  them,  who, 
as  foon  as  we  had  got  behind  fome  trees,  which  pre- 
vented my  people  feeing  us,  began  to  lay  violent  hands 
6 
on 
