With these people I saw the youngest of the two sows Captain Furneaux had put on shore in Cannibal Cove, when we were last here:  It was lame of one of its hind legs; otherwise in good case, and very tame.  If we understood these people right, the boar and other sow were also taken away and separated, but not killed.  We were likewise told, that the two goats I had put on shore up the Sound, had been killed by that old rascal Goubiah.  Thus all our endeavours to stock this country with useful animals were likely to be frustrated, by the very people we meant to serve.  Our gardens had fared somewhat better.  Every thing in them, except the potatoes, they had left entirely to nature, who had acted her part so well, that we found most articles in a flourishing state:  A proof that the winter must have been mild.  The potatoes had most of them been dug up; some, however, still remained, and were growing, though I think it is probable they will never be got out of the ground.[2]

Next morning I sent over to the cove, where the natives reside, to haul the seine; and took with me a boar, and a young sow, two cocks, and two hens, we had brought from the isles.  These I gave to the natives, being persuaded they would take proper care of them, by their keeping Captain Furneaux’s sow near five months; for I am to suppose it was caught soon after we sailed.  We had no better success with the seine than before; nevertheless we did not return on board quite empty, having purchased a large quantity from the natives.  When we were upon this traffic, they shewed a great inclination to pick my pockets, and to take away the fish with one hand, which they had just given me with the other.  This evil one of the chiefs undertook to remove, and with fury in his eyes made a shew of keeping the people at a proper distance.  I applauded his conduct, but at the same time kept so good a look-out, as to detect him in picking my pocket of an handkerchief; which I suffered him to put in his bosom before I seemed to know any thing of the matter, and then told him what I had lost.  He seemed quite ignorant and innocent, till I took it from him; and then he put it off with a laugh, acting his part with so much address, that it was hardly possible for me to be angry with him; so that we remained good friends, and he accompanied me on board to dinner.  About that time, we were visited by several strangers, in four or five canoes, who brought with them fish, and other articles, which they exchanged for cloth, &c.  These newcomers took up their quarters in a cove near us; but very early the next morning moved off with six of our small water casks; and with them all the people we found here on our arrival.  This precipitate retreat of these last, we supposed was owing to the theft the others had committed.  They left behind them some of their dogs, and the boar I had given them the day before, which I now took back again as I had not another.  Our casks were the least loss we felt by these people leaving us:  While they remained, we were generally well supplied with fish at a small expence.