We found the place full of cattle and provisions; but whether we might
venture to take them where we could find them or not, we did not know;
and though we were under a necessity to get provisions, yet we were loth
to bring down a whole nation of devils upon us at once, and therefore
some of our company agreed to try to speak with some of the country,
if we could, that we might see what course was to be taken with them.
Eleven of our men went on this errand, well armed and furnished for
defence. They brought word that they had seen some of the natives, who
appeared very civil to them, but very shy and afraid, seeing their guns,
for it was easy to perceive that the natives knew what their guns were,
and what use they were of.
They made signs to the natives for some food, and they went and fetched
several herbs and roots, and some milk; but it was evident they did not
design to give it away, but to sell it, making signs to know what our
men would give them.
Our men were perplexed at this, for they had nothing to barter; however,
one of the men pulled out a knife and showed them, and they were so fond
of it that they were ready to go together by the ears for the knife. The
seaman seeing that, was willing to make a good market of his knife, and
keeping them chaffering about it a good while, some offered him roots,
and others milk; at last one offered him a goat for it, which he took.
Then another of our men showed them another knife, but they had nothing
good enough for that, whereupon one of them made signs that he would
go and fetch something; so our men stayed three hours for their return,
when they came back and brought him a small-sized, thick, short cow,
very fat and good meat, and gave him for his knife.
This was a good market, but our misfortune was we had no merchandise;
for our knives were as needful to us as to them, and but that we were in
distress for food, and must of necessity have some, these men would not
have parted with their knives.
However, in a little time more we found that the woods were full of
living creatures, which we might kill for our food, and that without
giving offence to them; so that our men went daily out a-hunting, and
never failed in killing something or other; for, as to the natives, we
had no goods to barter; and for money, all the stock among us would not
have subsisted us long. However, we called a general council to see what
money we had, and to bring it all together, that it might go as far as
possible; and when it came to my turn, I pulled out a moidore and the
two dollars I spoke of before.
This moidore I ventured to show, that they might not despise me too much
for adding too little to the store, and that they might not pretend to
search me; and they were very civil to me, upon the presumption that I
had been so faithful to them as not to conceal anything from them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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