Sep 6, 1792 Home Providence Log Sep 8, 1792
Revised Aug 27 2021
1 pm: Fair Weather and Hazy. The Assistant and Boats sounding a passage to the Northward and reporting to me by Signals.
3 pm: At 1 O'Clock made the Signal to me for good Anchoring and that I might follow without danger, at 2 OClock weighed out of good holding Ground.
5 pm: At ¼ past 3 I anchored again in 13 fathoms, worse Sand & Shells A S78E to S59°E about 2 Leagues. A Sandy Key S9W t Miles E S37°W 2 Miles F WbN Saw another Island called G from the Mast head WbS.
7 pm: All the Islands except A B & C are low Woody Keys about a Mile or 2 round.
8 pm: The Cannoe returned to us and traded with great faith their Bows and Arrows, left us and went to Island E, to Sleep, as we understood by their Signs.
12 mid: Fresh Breezes and Cloudy Weather
3 am: Breakfast at 6 OClock and sent the Cutter and Whale Boat away to explore to leward.
4 am: At ½ past 8 the Boats made the Signal for us to follow. they had from 12 to 25 fathoms. They bore NW½W.
6 am: At 10 we were under Sail with strong Wind and 3 Reefs in the Top Sail. The Brig and Boats leading. Sounding 18 to no Ground at 27. Then 24 to 17, 19 to 27 & 28 to 26 fathoms to 11 hour 21′, Island F SWbW 2 Miles East [point/part] Reef EbS¾S 1 Mile.
9 am: Saw Natives on F, Houses, Dogs, and Fences. It is a small Woody Spot about 1½ or 2 Miles round. Saw two Cannoes.
11 am: Found the bottom tolerable good for Anchorage & edged more to leward.
12 noon: Fresh Gales and fair Weather with much Haze. Island F S69°E 3 Miles.
A S75°W G S15°W about 5 Miles Land like the other Isles seen from the Mast
Head SSW & WSW Woody low Keys.
Assistant and Boats leading. No land appeared in the North, but in that direction the Water
sholed as the Boats reported by Signals. We saw no dangers.
At One O'Clock a Cannoe came along side with 10 Men in her, but as the Assistant made the Signal to follow her, they had not time to come on board. They expressed much surprise, and seemed mortified at our getting under way, for they had been to the Assistant and traded with great fairness. Mr. Tobin's battle seems to have been of no consequence.
We found difficulty in weighing our Anchor, the ground was so good. At ½ past 3 Anchored for the Night under the lee of an Island called F, and here the Cannoe which had left us came to the Ship again, and traded with their Bows and Arrows, Clubs and Spears, with great fairness; for large Nails and Toeys which they called Toorick. The showed great surprise. Three of them came on board but could not be enticed below. They are about the Middle size, quite black and wooly headed with Beards. Stark naked. Some of them had lost several of the Teeth. Some had their foreheads daubed red. Some had a few feathers stuck in their wool. Some had the Skin of the point of the Shoulder raised in circular Rims, that together formed a kind of Badge about the size of a Water-mans. The septum of the Nose was pierced in which they wore a Ring of Shell or Bone, to distend it, of ¾ Inch Diameter. The Ear was pierced in common, and in some the lobe cut through and full of small holes around it to wear ornaments of plaited grass or Shells. Some had rough Beards tinged grey and appeared aged. Their countenances upon the whole not bad. I saw no distortion on the forehead. Their Noses rather full at the Point. The White of their Eyes not clear. The Chief sign they made was patting the top of the head with the Palm of their hands. Their expression of surprise was, Wow Wow, Wow Wow Wah. They made use of the words Toorick for Iron or Hatchet, Attah,gooroo for Sleep, and Teeteeree when they wanted to haul their Cannoes up. One of the Men had a piece of Shell which formed for the purpose hung over his Penis, the others were all bare. Their Bows made of Bamboo, (and their Strings the outer skin of the same,) no one man in the Ship could string. Their Arrows were various, some pointed with bond, and others with Bamboo. They had Clubs rudely Carved, and some Spears about 14 feet long. their Cannoes was 58 feet long, 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Once piece, except a kind of Gunwale to form a strait sheer. Had a Stage across the Gunwale and an Outrigger on each side. The Stern was a little Carved, and ornamented in the head with Shells. Paddled standing, their Paddles long and narrow bladed. They were not surprised at looking in a glass, and cared for nothing but Iron. I bought only one Yam, and that they wanted to cut in half to make the most of their bargain. A Boars tusk was seen. They had a strange way of showing their astonishment by Wistling, and making a Noise like the Wozzing of a Ball in the Air.
Sep 6, 1792 Home Providence Log Sep 8, 1792