Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/390

332 made us at once conclude that there were Europeans among the islanders, by whom we should be received at least more politely than we were used to be by uncivilised Indians.

After a very short stay the lieutenant returned, bringing word that he had seen Indians, in all respects, as colour, dress, etc., much resembling the Malays; that they very civilly invited him ashore, and conversed with him by signs, but neither party could understand the other. They were totally unarmed, except for the knives which they wore in their girdles, and had with them a jackass, a sure sign that Europeans had been among them.

It was resolved to go to the lee side of the island in hopes there to find anchoring ground; in the meanwhile, however, the boat with some truck was sent ashore at the cocoanut grove, in hopes of purchasing some trifling refreshment for the sick, in case we should be disappointed later on. Dr. Solander went in it. Before it reached the shore we saw two fresh horsemen, one of whom had on a complete European dress, blue coat, white waistcoat, and laced hat; these as the boat lay ashore, seemed to take little notice of her, but only sauntered about, looking much at the ship. Many more horsemen, however, and still more footmen gathered round our people, and we had the satisfaction of seeing several cocoanuts brought into the boat, a sure sign that peace and plenty reigned ashore.

After a stay of an hour and a half the boat made a signal of having had intelligence of a harbour to leeward, and we in consequence bore away for it; the boat following soon came on board and told us that the people had behaved in an uncommonly civil manner, that they had seen some of their principal people, who were dressed in fine linen, and had chains of gold round their necks, that they had not been able to trade, the owner of the cocoanut trees not being there, but had got about two dozen cocoanuts given as a present by these principal people who accepted linen in return, and made them understand by drawing a map upon the sand, that on the lee side of the island was a bay in which we might anchor near a town and buy sheep, hogs,