“JAMES COOK.”

“To Lieutenant King.”

“Our cutter being hoisted out, and the signal made for the Discovery’s, at eight o’clock at night on the 14th, we set out.  It was a little unlucky that the boats’ crews had been much fatigued during the whole day in bringing things from the shore.  They pulled stoutly, without rest or intermission, toward the land, till one o’clock in the morning of the 15th.  I wanted much to have gone close to it, to have had the advantage of the wind, which had, very regularly in the evening, blown from the land, and in the day-time down the Sound, from the N.N.E., and was contrary to our course; but the men were at this time too much fatigued to press them farther.  We, therefore, set our sails, and stood across the bay, which the coast forms to the west of Baldhead, and steered for it.  But, as I expected, by three o’clock, the wind headed us; and, as it was in vain to endeavour to fetch Baldhead with our sails, we again took to the oars.  The Discovery’s boat, (being a heavy king’s-built cutter, while ours was one from Deal,) had, in the night-time, detained us very much, and now we soon pulled out of sight of her; nor would I wait, being in great hopes to reach the extreme point that was in sight time enough to ascend the heights before dark, as the weather was at this time remarkably clear and fine, and we could see to a great distance.  By two o’clock we had got within two miles of Baldhead, under the lee of the high land, and in smooth water; but, at the moment our object was nearly attained, all the men but two were so overcome with fatigue and sleep, that my utmost endeavours to make them put on were ineffectual.  They at length dropped their oars, quite exhausted, and fell asleep in the bottom of the boat.  Indeed, considering that they had set out fatigued, and had now been sixteen hours out of the eighteen since they left the ship, pulling in a poppling sea, it was no wonder that their strength and spirits should be worn out for want of sleep and refreshments.  The two gentlemen who were with me and myself, were now obliged to lay hold of the oars; and, by a little after three, we landed between the Baldhead and a projecting point to the eastward.”—­D.]

At day-break, on the 16th, nine men, each in his canoe, paid us a visit.  They approached the ship with some caution; and evidently came with no other view than to gratify their curiosity.  They drew up abreast of each other, under our stern, and gave us a song; while one of their number beat upon a kind of drum, and another made a thousand antic motions with his hands and body.  There was, however, nothing savage either in the song or in the gestures that accompanied it.  None of us could perceive any difference between these people, either as to their size or features, and those whom we had met with on every other part of the coast, King George’s Sound excepted.  Their clothing, which consisted principally of deer-skins, was made after the same fashion; and they observed the custom of boring their under-lips, and fixing ornaments to them.