Relates the first sight of the natives of this bay, and an
encounter there was with them.
Next day natives were seen passing along the beach. The Captain,
with the boats, went to look at them, with the desire to take some of
them and send them back clothed and kindly treated, so that in this
and other ways friendship might be established. He did all he could
to induce them to get into the boats. They did the same to get us
to land. As we would not, they flung certain fruits into the water,
which were collected by us, and we went back to the ships.
The day after, the Captain ordered the Admiral to go on shore with a
party of soldiers, and try by all possible means to catch some natives,
so as to establish peace and friendship, based on the good work we
intended to do for them. The party ran the boat high up on the beach,
and quickly formed in a squadron, for the natives were coming, and it
was not known with what object. Being near, they made signs and spoke,
but were not understood. Our people called to them in return. Then
the natives drew a line on the ground, and seemed to say that we were
not to pass beyond it. I understand that there was no one who could
make himself intelligible; and it is a great evil, on such occasions,
when there is a want of zeal or of management. Natives were seen
in the woods, and to frighten them some muskets were fired into the
air. A soldier who had lost patience, or who had forgotten his orders,
fired low and killed a native. The others, with loud cries, fled. A
Moor who was the drummer, cut off the head and one foot of the dead,
and hung the body on the branch of a tree, without being seen to do
it by those on the beach. It then happened that three native chiefs
came to where our people were, who, instead of showing them kindness
and bringing them on board, showed them their comrade without a head
and running blood, pretending that this cruelty was a means of making
peace. The chiefs, showing great sorrow, went back to where their
people were, and shortly afterwards sounded their instruments with
great force and noise, which was heard among the trees. Then from many
directions they began shooting arrows and darts, and throwing stones,
while our people fired on them, turning on one side or the other.
The Captain saw all this from the ship where he was, with great regret
to find peace turned into war. It appeared to him best to land more
men in the direction taken by a number of natives, who were trying to
surround our people. The supporting party got into such conflict with
the enemy that the Captain was obliged to fire two pieces. The balls,
tearing branches off the trees, passed over the natives; but with this,
and the resistance made by our soldiers, the enemy retired.
At the same time, the natives who were on the beach moved forward,
brandishing their clubs, and with arrows fitted to their bows and darts
poised to throw, menacing with loud shouts. Then a tall old native
advanced, making a sound on a shell with great force. He seemed to be
the same chief who had spoken to our soldiers, and I believe he said
that they would defend their country against those who came to it,
killing their inhabitants. Eight of our musketeers were in ambush,
and one of them unfortunately, as he afterwards stated, killed this
chief; and presently the rest desisted. Three or four raised their
dead on their shoulders with great celerity, and went inland, leaving
the neighbouring villages deserted. Such was the end of the peace that
the Captain hoped for and sought for, as the means of discovering the
grandeur of the land, and all that was contained in it; and such was
the intention that the Captain had, but which was but a sound.