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[Page 263]

South Sea

April 1769

size would have carried.

The people on the shore made many signals but whether they meant to frighten us away or invite us ashore is dificult to tell they wavd with their hands & seemd to beckon us to them but they were assembld together with clubs & staves as they would have done had they meant to oppose us their signs we answerd by waving our hats & shouting which they answerd by shouting again our situation made it very improper to try them farther we wanted nothing the Island was too trifling to be an object worth taking possession of had we therefore out of mere curiosity hoisted out a boat & the natives by attacking us oblige us to destroy some of them the only reason we could give for it would be the desire of satisfying a useless curiosity we shall soon by our connections with the inhabitants of Georges Island (who already know our strengh & if they do not love at least fear us) gain some knowledge of the customs of these savages or possibly persuade one of them to come with us who may serve as an interpreter & give us an opportunity

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