early australian voyages-第23部分

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　another　small；　low；　woody　island；　about　a　mile　round；　and　about　a　mile　from　the　other。　　Between　them　there　runs　a　reef　of　rocks　which　joins　them。　（The　biggest　I　named　Squally　Island。）

Seeing　we　could　not　anchor　here；　I　stood　away　to　the　southward；　to　make　the　main；　but　having　many　hard　squalls　and　tornadoes；　we　were　often　forced　to　hand　all　our　sails　and　steer　more　easterly　to　go　before　it。　　On　the　26th　at　four　o'clock　it　cleared　up　to　a　hard　sky　and　a　brisk　settled　gale；　then　we　made　as　much　sail　as　we　could。　　At　five　it　cleared　up　over　the　land；　and　we　saw；　as　we　thought；　Cape　Solomaswer　bearing　south…south…east；　distance　ten　leagues。　　We　had　many　great　logs　and　trees　swimming　by　us　all　this　afternoon；　and　much　grass；　we　steered　in　south…south…east　till　six；　then　the　wind　slackened；　and　we　stood　off　till　seven；　having　little　wind；　then　we　lay　by　till　ten；　at　which　time　we　made　sail；　and　steered　away　east　all　night。　　The　next　morning；　as　soon　as　it　was　light；　we　made　all　the　sail　we　could；　and　steered　away　east…south…east；　as　the　land　lay；　being　fair　in　sight　of　it；　and　not　above　seven　leagues'　distance。　　We　passed　by　many　small　low　woody　islands　which　lay　between　us　and　the　main；　not　laid　down　in　our　drafts。　　We　found　variation　9　degrees　50　minutes　east。

The　28th　we　had　many　violent　tornadoes；　wind；　rain；　and　some　spouts；　and　in　the　tornadoes　the　wind　shifted。　　In　the　night　we　had　fair　weather；　but　more　lightning　than　we　had　seen　at　any　time　this　voyage。　　This　morning　we　left　a　large　high　island　on　our　larboard　side；　called　in　the　Dutch　drafts　Wishart's　Isle；　about　six　leagues　from　the　main；　and；　seeing　many　smokes　upon　the　main；　I　therefore　steered　towards　it。

The　mainland　at　this　place　is　high　and　mountainous；　adorned　with　tall；　flourishing　trees；　the　sides　of　the　hills　had　many　large　plantations　and　patches　of　clear　land；　which；　together　with　the　smoke　we　saw；　were　certain　signs　of　its　being　well　inhabited；　and　I　was　desirous　to　have　some　commerce　with　the　inhabitants。　　Being　nigh　shore；　we　saw　first　one　proa；　a　little　after；　two　or　three　more；　and　at　last　a　great　many　boats　came　from　all　the　adjacent　bays。　　When　they　were　forty…six　in　number　they　approached　so　near　us　that　we　could　see　each　other's　signs　and　hear　each　other　speak；　though　we　could　not　understand　them；　nor　they　us。　　They　made　signs　for　us　to　go　in　towards　the　shore；　pointing　that　way。　　It　was　squally　weather；　which　at　first　made　me　cautious　of　going　too　near；　but　the　weather　beginning　to　look　pretty　well；　I　endeavoured　to　get　into　a　bay　ahead　of　us；　which　we　could　have　got　into　well　enough　at　first；　but　while　we　lay　by；　we　were　driven　so　far　to　leeward　that　now　it　was　more　difficult　to　get　in。　　The　natives　lay　in　their　proas　round　us；　to　whom　I　showed　beads；　knives；　glasses；　to　allure　them　to　come　nearer。　But　they　would　not　come　so　nigh　as　to　receive　anything　from　us；　therefore　I　threw　out　some　things　to　them；　viz。；　a　knife　fastened　to　a　piece　of　board；　and　a　glass　bottle　corked　up　with　some　beads　in　it；　which　they　took　up；　and　seemed　well　pleased。　　They　often　struck　their　left　breast　with　their　right　hand；　and　as　often　held　up　a　black　truncheon　over　their　heads；　which　we　thought　was　a　token　of　friendship；　wherefore　we　did　the　like。　　And　when　we　stood　in　towards　their　shore；　they　seemed　to　rejoice；　but　when　we　stood　off；　they　frowned；　yet　kept　us　company　in　their　proas；　still　pointing　to　the　shore。　　About　five　o'clock　we　got　within　the　mouth　of　the　bay；　and　sounded　several　times；　but　had　no　ground；　though　within　a　mile　of　the　shore。　　The　basin　of　this　bay　was　about　two　miles　within　us；　into　which　we　might　have　gone；　but　as　I　was　not　assured　of　anchorage　there；　so　I　thought　it　not　prudent　to　run　in　at　this　time；　it　being　near　night；　and　seeing　a　black　tornado　rising　in　the　west；　which　I　most　feared。　　Besides；　we　had　near　two　hundred　men　in　proas　close　by　us；　and　the　bays　on　the　shore　were　lined　with　men　from　one　end　to　the　other；　where　there　could　not　be　less　than　three　or　four　hundred　more。　　What　weapons　they　had；　we　knew　not；　nor　yet　their　design；　therefore　I　had；　at　their　first　coming　near　us；　got　up　all　our　small　arms；　and　made　several　put　on　cartouch　boxes；　to　prevent　treachery。　At　last　I　resolved　to　go　out　again；　which；　when　the　natives　in　their　proas　perceived；　they　began　to　fling　stones　at　us　as　fast　as　they　could；　being　provided　with　engines　for　that　purpose；　wherefore　I　named　this　place　Slinger's　Bay；　but　at　the　firing　of　one　gun　they　were　all　amazed；　drew　off；　and　flung　no　more　stones。　　They　got　together；　as　if　consulting　what　to　do；　for　they　did　not　make　in　towards　the　shore；　but　lay　still；　though　some　of　them　were　killed　or　wounded；　and　many　more　of　them　had　paid　for　their　boldness；　but　that　I　was　unwilling　to　cut　off　any　of　them；　which；　if　I　had　done；　I　could　not　hope　afterwards　to　bring　them　to　treat　with　me。

The　next　day　we　sailed　close　by　an　island；　where　we　saw　many　smokes；　and　men　in　the　bays；　out　of　which　came　two　or　three　canoes；　taking　much　pains　to　overtake　us；　but　they　could　not；　though　we　went　with　an　easy　sail；　and　I　could　not　now　stay　for　them。　　As　I　passed　by　the　south…east　point　I　sounded　several　times　within　a　mile　of　the　Sandy　Bays；　but　had　no　ground。　　About　three　leagues　to　the　northward　of　the　south…east　point　we　opened　a　large；　deep　bay；　secured　from　west…　north…west　and　south…west　winds。　　There　were　two　other　islands　that　lay　to　the　north…east　of　it；　which　secured　the　bay　from　north…east　winds；　one　was　but　small；　yet　woody；　the　other　was　a　league　long；　inhabited；　and　full　of　cocoa…nut　trees。　　I　endeavoured　to　get　into　this　bay；　but　there　came　such　flaws　off　from　the　high　land　over　it　that　I　could　not。　　Besides；　we　had　many　hard　squalls；　which　deterred　me　from　it；　and；　night　coming　on；　I　would　not　run　any　hazard；　but　bore　away　to　the　small　inhabited　island；　to　see　if　we　could　get　anchorage　on　the　east　side　of　it。　　When　we　came　there　we　found　the　island　so　narrow；　that　there　could　be　no　shelter；　therefore　I　tacked　and　stood　towards　the　greater　island　again；　and　being　more　than　midway　between　both；　I　lay　by；　designing　to　endeavour　for　anchorage　next　morning。　　Between　seven　and　eight　at　night　we　spied　a　canoe　close　by　us；　and　seeing　no　more；　suffered　her　to　come　aboard。　　She　had　three　men　in　her；　who　brought　off　five　cocoa…nuts；　for　which　I　gave　each　of　them　a　knife　and　a　string　of　beads；　to　encourage　them　to　come　off　again　in　the　morning：　　but　before　these　went　away　we　saw　two　more　canoes　coming；　therefore　we　stood　away　to　the　northward　from　them；　and　then　lay　by　again　till　day。　　We　saw　no　more　boats　this　night；　neither　designed　to　suffer　any　to　come　aboard　in　the　dark。

By　nine　o'clock　the　next　morning　we　were　got　within　a　league　of　the　great　island；　but　were　kept　off　by　violent　gusts　of　wind。　　These　squalls　gave　us　warning　of　their　approach　by　the　clouds　which　hung　over　the　mountains；　and　afterwards　descended　to　the　foot　of　them；　and　then　it　is　we　expect　them　speedily。

On　the　3rd　of　March；　being　about　five　leagues　to　leeward　of　the　great　island；　we　saw　the　mainland　ahead；　and　another　great　high　island　to　leeward　of　us；　distant　about　seven　leagues；　which　we　bore　away　for。　　It　is　called　in　the　Dutch　drafts　Garret　Dennis　Isle。　　It　is　about　fourteen　or　fifteen　leagues　round；　high　and　mountainous；　and　very　woody。　　Some　trees　appeared　very　large　and　tall；　and　the　bays　by　the　seaside　are　well　stared　with　cocoa…nut　trees；　where　we　also　saw　some　small　houses。　　The　sides　of　the　mountains　are　thick…　set　with　plantations；　and　the　mould　in　the　new…cleared　land　seemed　to　be　of　a　brown…reddish　colour。　　This　island　is　of　no　regular　figure；　but　is　full　of　points　shooting　forth　into　the　sea；　between　which　are　many　sandy　bays；　full　of　cocoa…nut　trees。　　The　middle　of　the　isle　lies　in　3　degrees　10　minutes　south　latitude。　　It　is　very　populous。　　The　natives　are　very　black；　strong；　and　well…limbed　people；　having　great　round　heads；　their　hair　naturally　curled　and　short；　which　they　shave　into　several　forms；　and　dye　it　also　of　divers　coloursviz。；　red；　white；　and　yellow。　　They　have　broad　round　faces；　with　great　bottle…noses；　yet　agreeable　enough　till　they　disfigure　them　by　painting；　and　by　wearing　great　things　through　their　noses　as　big　as　a　man's　thumb；　and　about　four　inches　long。　These　are　run　clear　through　both　nostrils；　one　end　coming　out　by　one　cheek…bone；　and　the　other　end　against　the　other；　and　their　noses　so　stretched　that　only　a　small　slip　of　them　appears　about　the　ornament。　They　have　also　great　holes　in　their　ears；　wherein　they　wear　such　stuff　as　in　their　noses。　　They　are　very　dexterous；　active　fellows　in　their　proas；　which　are　very　ingeniously　built。　　They　are　narrow　and　long；　with　outriggers　on　one　side；　the　head　and　stern　higher　than　the　rest；　and　carved　into　many　devicesviz。；　some　fowl；　fish；　or　a　man's　head　painted　or　carved；　and　though　it　is　but　rudely　done；　yet　the　resemblance　appears　plainly；　and　shows　an　ingenious　fancy。　　But　with　what　instruments　they　make　their　proas　or　carved　work　I　know　not；　for　they　seem　to　be　utterly　ignorant　of　iron。　　They　have　very　neat　paddles；　with　which　they　manage　their　proas　dexterously；　and　make　great　way　through　the　water。　　Their　weapons　are　chiefly　lances；　swords　and　slings；　and　some　bows　and　arrows。　　They　have　also　wooden　fish…spears　for　striking　fish。　　Those　that　came　to　assault　us　in　Slinger's　Bay　on　the　main　are　in　all　respects　like　these；　and　I　believe　these　are　alike　treacherous。　　Their　speech　is　clear　and　distinct。　　The　words　they　used　most　when　near　us　were　vacousee　allamais；　and　then　they　pointed　to　the　shore。　　Their　signs　of　friendship　are　either　a　great　truncheon；　or　bough　of　a　tree　full　of　leaves；　put　on　their　heads；　often　striking　their　heads　with　their　hands。

The　next　day；　having　a　fresh　gale　of　wind；　we　got　under　a　high　island；　about　four　or　five　leagues　round；　very　woody；　and　full　of　plantations　upon　the　sides　of　the　hills；　and　in　the　bays；　by　the　waterside；　are　abundance　of　cocoa…nut　trees。　　It　lies　in　the　latitude　of　3　degrees　25　minutes　south；　and　meridian　distance　from　Cape　Mabo　1；316　miles。　　On　the　south…east　part　of　it　are　three　or　four　other　small　woody　islands；　one　high　and　peaked；　the　others　low　and　flat；　all　bedecked　with　cocoa…nut　trees　and　other　wood。　　On　the　north　th