Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/343

] and a great deal of sail set, those little vessels sailed a great deal faster than our ships.

Close to a fishing place, much larger than any that we had seen, were seventeen canoes which immediately paddled towards us. We hove to, in order to wait for them; but as, notwithstanding our invitations, they remained at the distance of five hundred toises from our ship, we resumed our course, directing it to the W. ¼ S.W.

At the close of the day, two canoes pushed off from the shore, and advanced towards us. It was night before they came within hearing. One of the commanders immediately addressed us in an elevated voice. It is proper to observe, that the voices of those natives are very shrill. As it was almost quite calm, we endeavoured to allure them to the ship; but they durst not venture near enough to receive our presents.

It was imagined that a squib would be a pleasing spectacle to them; but on the contrary it terrified them so much, that they retreated with precipitation.

Notwithstanding the darkness of the night, those two canoes, guided by our lights, returned towards us. We sent them some articles of hardware, upon a board along with a lighted taper. The light, which we soon left at a distance, engrossed their whole attention; but they durst not come