The Inhabitants go on board the Ship. 109 
One of them, at our defire, threw his lance, which was 
about eight feet long: it flew with a fvviftnefs and fieadinefs 
that furprifed us, and though it was never more than four 
feet from the ground, it entered deeply into a tree at fifty 
paces diftance. After this they ventured on board, where I 
left them, to all appearance much entertained, and went 
again with Mr. Banks to take a view of the country ; but 
chiefly to indulge an anxious curiofity, by looking round us 
upon the fea, of which our wiihes almoft periuaded us we 
had formed an idea more difadvantageous than the truth. 
After having walked about feven or eight miles along the 
Ihore to the northward, we afcended a very high hill, and 
were foon convinced that the danger of our fituation was at 
leaft equal to our apprehenfions ; for in whatever direction 
we turned our eyes, we faw rocks and lhoals without num- 
ber, and no palfage out to fea, but through the winding 
channels between them, which could not be navigated with- 
out the lad degree of difficulty and danger. We returned 
therefore to the fnip, not in better fpirits than when we left 
it; we found feveral natives ftill on board, and we were told 
that the turtles, of which we had then no lefs than twelve 
upon the deck, had fixed their attention more than any thing 
elfe in the fhip. 
On the 19th in the morning, we were vifited by ten of the 
'natives, the greater part from the other fide of the river, where 
we faw fix or feven more, moll: of them women, and like 
all the reft of the people we had feen in this country, they 
were ftark naked. Our guefts brought with them a greater 
number of lances than they had ever done before, and hav- 
ving laid them up in a tree, they fet a man and a boy to 
watch them : the reft then came on board, and we foon per- 
ceived .that they had determined to get one of our turtle, 
which was probably as great a dainty to them as to us. 
They firft alked us, by figns, to give them one ; and being 
refufed, they exprefied, both by looks and geliures, great 
diffappointmept and anger. At this time we happened to 
have no vidluals dreffed, but I offered one of them fome bif- 
cuit, which he fnatched and threw overboard with great dif- 
dain. One of them renewed his requeft to Mr. Banks, and 
upon a refufal ftamped with his foot, and pulhed him from 
him in a tranfport of refentment and indignation : having 
applied by turns to almoft every perfon who appeared to 
have any command in the (hip, without fuccefs, they fu'd- 
denly feized two of the turtles, and dragged them towards 
the fide of the Ihip where their canoe lay : our people foon 
forced them out of their' hands, and replaced them with the 
Tell. They would not however reiinquifh their enterprife 
but made feveral other attempts of the fame kind, in all 
Von. II. K which 
