Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/333

] Presents might procure us their confidence. We therefore threw them an empty bottle, which we supposed they would immediately seize upon. But they appeared to look upon it as a fatal gift; for they paid no other attention to it, than to keep at a distance from it.

Nails and knives which were floated to them upon a board, occasioned loud expressions of joy, when the savage who took them up showed them to his companions. It appeared then, that those natives were acquainted with the use of iron.

None of them had hitherto ventured to touch the bottle; but the presents having won their confidence, one of them took possession of it, and cut the string by which it was held, with a piece of volcanic glass.

The natives now made no difficulty of coming alongside of the ship, but would not consent to come on board. The number of canoes by degrees increased, and our barter was carried on with the greatest fairness imaginable. We even saw some of those people, who were pushed at a distance from the ship, by the concourse of canoes, before they could give us the article which they had agreed to exchange for that which they had received, making their utmost efforts for that purpose. They carefully sought for the persons to whom they were indebted; and some of them, after