THE PACIFIC OCEAN* 
$75 
have any trade or intercourfe with ns. Probably we were 1778. 
the canfe of the quarrel; the ftrangers, perhaps, being ApnL . 
delirous to fhare in the advantages of a trade with us ; 
and our firfl: friends, the inhabitants of the Sound, being 
determined to engrofs us entirely to themfelves. We had 
proofs of this on feveral other occafions; nay, it appeared, 
that even thofe who lived in the Sound were not united 
in the fame caufe; for the weaker were frequently obliged 
to give way to the ftronger party, and plundered of 
every thing, without attempting to make the lead: re- 
liftance. 
We refumed our work in the afternoon, and, the next Sunday 5. 
day, rigged the fore-maft; the head of which being rather 
too fmall for the cap, the carpenter went to work, to fix a 
piece on one fide, to fill up the vacant fpace. In cutting into 
the maft-head for this purpofe, and examining the ftate of 
it, both cheeks were found to be fo rotten, that there was no 
poftibility of repairing them; and it became neceftary to get 
the maft out, and to fix new ones upon it. It was evident, 
that one of the cheeks had been defeftive at the firfl:, and 
that the unfound part had been cut out, and a piece put in ; 
which had not only weakened the maft-head, but had, in 
a great meafure, been the occafion of rotting every other 
part of both cheeks. Thus, when we were almoft ready to 
put to fea, we had all our work to do over again; and, 
what was ftill more provoking, an additional repair was to 
be undertaken, which would require fome time to be com¬ 
pleted. But, as there was no remedy, we immediately fet 
about it. It was fortunate for the voyage, that thefe defecfts 
were difcovered, when we were in a place, where the ma¬ 
terials requifite w'ere to be procured. For, amongft the 
drift-wood, in the cove where the fhips lay, were fome fmall 
N n 2 feafoned 
