I 
284 
1778. 
April. 
A VOYAGE TO 
inhabitants received us with the fame demonftrations of 
friendfhip which I had experienced before; and the mo¬ 
ment we landed, I ordered fome of my people to begin 
their operation of cutting. I had not the lead: imagination, 
that the natives could make any objection to our furnifhing 
ourfelves with what feemed to be of no ufe to them, but 
was neceffary for us. However, I was miftaken; for, the 
moment that our men began to cut, fome of the inhabitants 
interpofed, and would not permit them to proceed, faying 
they mult “ makook ; ” that is, muft firft buy it. I was now 
in one of the houfes; but as foon as I heard of this, I went 
to the field, where I found about a dozen of the natives, 
each of whom laid claim to fome part of the grafs that grew 
in this place. I bargained with them for it, and having 
completed the purchafe, thought that we were now at li¬ 
berty to cut wherever we pleafed. But here, again, it ap¬ 
peared, that I was under a miftake; for the liberal manner 
in which I had paid the firft pretended proprietors, brought 
frefli demands upon me from others; fo that tfiere did not 
feem to be a fingle blade of grafs, that had not a feparate 
owner; and fo many of them were to be fatisfied, that I 
very foon emptied my pockets. When they found that I 
really had nothing more to give, their importunities ceafed, 
and we were permitted to cut wherever we pleafed, and as 
much as we chofe to carry away. 
Here I muft obferve, that I have no where, in my fevcral 
voyages, met with any uncivilized nation, or tribe, who had 
fuch ftri£t notions of their having a right to the exclufive 
property of every thing that their country produces, as the 
inhabitants of this Sound. At firft, they wanted our people 
to pay for the wood and water that they carried on board; 
and had I been upon the fpot, when thefe demands were 
made ? 
