26 , AN ACCOUNT OF 
i 7 8 3* thumberland fhould, at Macoa, have recommended ts> 
AUGUST. 
Captain Wilson, Tom Rose as a fervant, who fpoke the 
Malay language perfectly well. 
It was a ftill more lingular circiimft&nce, that a tempeft. 
Ihould have thrown a Malay on this fpot, who had as a ft ran¬ 
ger been noticed and favoured by the king,, and having been 
near a year on the bland previous to the lofs of the Ante- 
lope, was become acquainted with the language of the 
country;, by this extraordinary event both the English 
and the inhabitants of Pelew had each an interpreter, who 
could converfe freely together in the Malay tongue, and 
Tom Rose {peaking Englijb , an eafy intercourfe was imme- 
ately opened on both fides, and all thofe impediments re¬ 
moved at once, which would have arifen. among people who 
had no means of conveying their thoughts to one another by 
language, but muft have trufted to ligns and geftures, which, 
to thofe born in climates fo remotely feparated, might have 
given rife to a thoufand mifconceptions.—The natives per¬ 
ceiving the boats preparing to be launched, imagined it 
was for departure ; but being told our men were only going 
off to the wreck to fetch more ftores and neceffaries on 
fhore, they faid they would fend one of their people with 
them, to prevent any canoes from molefting them. 
The natives were of a deep copper colour, perfectly 
naked, having no kind of covering whatfoever; their ikins 
very foft and gloffy, owing, as was known afterwards. 
to 
