128 
SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL 
1821. disgusted with the sight of so horrible a repast, 
Dec. 25. and the intolerable stench occasioned by the ef- 
fluvia that arose from the dying animal, com- 
bined with that of the bodies of the natives, who 
had daubed themselves from head to foot, with a 
pigment made of a red ochreous earth mixed up 
with seal-oil. 
We then conveyed the natives, who had been 
waiting with great patience in the boat for our 
return, to the vessel, and permitted them to go 
on board. Whilst they remained with us, Mr. 
Baskerville took a man from each mess to the 
oyster-bank; here he was joined by an Indian 
carrying some spears and a throwing- stick, but 
on Mr. Baskerville’s calling for a musket that 
was in the boat, (to the use of which they were 
not strangers,) he laid aside his spears, which 
probably were only carried for the purpose of 
striking fish, and assisted our people in collect- 
ing the oysters. As soon as they had procured a 
sufficient quantity, they returned on board, when 
as it was breakfast time, our visitors were sent on 
shore, highly pleased with their reception, and 
with the biscuit and pudding which the people 
had given them to eat. They were very atten- 
tive to the mixture of a pudding, and a few small 
dumplings were made and given to them, which 
