Our Old Friend Stood His Ground, Though Deserted By His Two
Companions, And I Rewarded His Confidence With A Present.
The natives came
gradually to us, seemingly in a more friendly manner; some even without
their weapons, but by far the greatest part brought them; and when we made
signs to lay them down, they gave us to understand that we must lay down
ours first.
Thus all parties stood armed. The presents I made to the old
people, and to such as seemed to be of consequence, had little effect on
their conduct. They indeed climbed the cocoa-nut trees, and threw us down
the nuts, without requiring any thing for them; but I took care that they
should always have somewhat in return. I observed that many were afraid to
touch what belonged to us; and they seemed to have no notion of exchanging
one thing for another. I took the old man (whose name we now found to be
Paowang) to the woods, and made him understand, I wanted to cut down some
trees to take on board the ship; cutting some down at the same time, which
we put into one of our boats, together with a few small casks of water,
with a view of letting the people see what it was we chiefly wanted.
Paowang very readily gave his consent to cut wood; nor was there any one
who made the least objection. He only desired the cocoa-nut trees might not
be cut down.
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