A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 02: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 02: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
Having thus arrived at the Bay of St Blaze, and lying there at anchor,
the general caused all the provisions to be taken out of the store-ship
and divided among the others, and then burned the store-ship, as the king
had ordered. In this business and other needful employments, for their
safety in the remainder of the voyage, they were occupied in that bay for
ten days. On the Friday after their arrival, about ninety of the natives
made their appearance, some on the shore, and others on the hills, on
which the general and the captains went to the shore, having their boats
crews well armed, and even taking ordinance with them, to avoid the same
accident which had happened at St Elena bay. When near the shore, the
general threw some bells on the land, which the Negroes pickt up, and
some of them came so near as to take the bells out of his hands. He much
wondered at this familiarity, as Diaz had informed him when he was in
those parts, the natives all ran away and would never approach near
enough to be seen and conversed with. Finding them thus gentle, contrary
to his expectation, he went on land with his men, and bartered red night-
caps with the Negroes, for ivory bracelets which they wore on their arms.
Next Saturday, the natives came to the shore to the number of more than
two hundred, including their children, and brought with them twelve oxen,
and four sheep. When our people went on shore, some of the natives began
to play on four flutes, in four several tones, making good music; on
which the general caused the trumpets to be sounded, and the natives
danced with our people. Thus the day passed in mirth and feasting, and in
purchasing their oxen and sheep. On Sunday a still greater number of the
natives came down to the shore, having several women among them, and
bringing a number of oxen for sale. After the sale of one of the oxen,
some of our people noticed some young Negroes hidden among certain bushes,
who had with them the weapons of the older people, from which it was
conjectured that some treason was intended. Upon this, the general caused
our people to remove to a place of greater security, and were followed by
the Negroes to the landing place. The Negroes now gathered together, as
if they meant to fight the Portuguese; on which the general, being
unwilling to harm them, embarked in the boats with all his people, and
then commanded two pieces of brass ordnance to be fired off, on which
they were much amazed and scampered off in confusion, leaving their
weapons behind. After this, the general ordered a cross or pillar, having
the arms of Portugal to be set upon the shore, but the Negroes pulled it
down immediately, even before our people retired.
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