A Book of American ExplorersHigginson, Thomas Wentworth
History
A Book of American Explorers
Higginson, Thomas Wentworth
America -- Discovery and exploration; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
Thursday, the 30th of May, about ten o’clock before noon, our captain,
with thirteen men more, in the name of God, and with all our prayers
for our prosperous discovery and safe return, departed in the shallop;
leaving the ship in a good harbor, which before I mentioned, well
moored, and manned with fourteen men.
This day, about five o’clock in the afternoon, we in the ship espied
three canoes coming towards us, which went to the island adjoining,
where they went ashore, and very quickly had made a fire, about which
they stood beholding our ship, to whom we made signs with our hands
and hats, waving unto them to come unto us, because we had not seen any
of the people yet. They sent one canoe with three men, one of which,
when they came near unto us, spake in his language very loud and very
boldly, seeming as though he would know why we were there; and by
pointing with his oar towards the sea, we conjectured he meant we
should be gone. But when we showed them knives and their use, by
cutting of sticks; and other trifles, as combs and glasses, they came
close aboard our ship, as desirous to entertain our friendship. To
these we gave such things as we perceived they liked, when we showed
them the use,――bracelets, rings, peacock-feathers, which they stuck in
their hair, and tobacco-pipes. After their departure to their company
on the shore, presently came four others in another canoe; to whom we
gave as to the former, using them with as much kindness as we could.
The shape of their body is very proportionable. They are well
countenanced, not very tall nor big, but in stature like to us. They
paint their bodies with black; their faces, some with red, some with
black, and some with blue.
Their clothing is beaver-skins or deer-skins cast over them like a
mantle, and hanging down to their knees, made fast together upon the
shoulder with leather: some of them had sleeves, most had none; some
had buskins of such leather sewed....
The next morning, very early, came one canoe aboard us again, with
three savages, whom we easily then enticed into our ship, and under the
deck, where we gave them pork, fish, bread, and peas, all which they
did eat; and this I noted, they would eat nothing raw, either fish or
flesh. They marvelled much, and much looked upon the making of our can
and kettle, so they did at a head-piece,[245] and at our guns, of which
they are most fearful, and would fall flat down at the report of them.
At their departure, I signed unto them, that, if they would bring me
back such skins as they wear, I would give them knives, and such things
as I saw they most liked, which the chief of them promised to do by
that time the sun should be beyond the midst of the firmament.[246]
This I did to bring them to an understanding of exchange, and that
they might conceive the intent of our coming to them to be for no other
end....
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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