and would not come aboard, I made signs and waved to them to go ashore;
but they did not or would not understand me; therefore I whistled a shot
over their heads out of my fowling-piece, and then they pulled away for
the shore as hard as they could. These were no sooner ashore, than we
saw three boats coming from the islands to leeward of us, and they soon
came within call, for we lay becalmed. One of the boats had about forty
men in her, and was a large, well-built boat; the other two were but
small. Not long after, I saw another boat coming out of the bay where I
intended to go; she likewise was a large boat, with a high head and stern
painted, and full of men. This I thought came off to fight us, as it is
probable they all did; therefore I fired another small shot over the
great boat that was nigh us, which made them leave their babbling and
take to their paddles. We still lay becalmed; and therefore they, rowing
wide of us, directed their course towards the other great boat that was
coming off. When they were pretty near each other I caused the gunner to
fire a gun between them, which he did very dexterously; it was loaded
with round and partridge shot; the last dropped in the water somewhat
short of them, but the round shot went between both boats, and grazed
about one hundred yards beyond them. This so affrighted them that they
both rowed away for the shore as fast as they could, without coming near
each other; and the little boats made the best of their way after them.
And now, having a gentle breeze at south-south-east, we bore into the bay
after them. When we came by the point, I saw a great number of men
peeping from under the rocks: I ordered a shot to be fired close by, to
scare them. The shot grazed between us and the point, and, mounting
again, flew over the point, and grazed a second time just by them. We
were obliged to sail along close by the bays; and, seeing multitudes
sitting under the trees, I ordered a third gun to be fired among the
cocoa-nut-trees to scare them; for my business being to wood and water, I
thought it necessary to strike some terror into the inhabitants, who were