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In this perplexity, which Drake was not more fenfible of than those whom he had left in the fhips, nothing was to be omitted, however dangerous, that might contribute to extricate them from it, as they could venture nothing of equal value with the life of their general. Captain Thomas, therefore, having the lightest vessel, steered boldly into the bay, and tak ing the general aboard, dropped anchor, and lay out of danger, while the reft that were in the open fea fuffered much from the tempeft, and the Mary, a Portuguefe prize, was driven away before the wind; the others, as foon as the tempeft was over, discovering by the fires which were made on fhore where Drake was, repaired to him.

Here going on fhore they met with no inhabitants, though there were several houfes or huts standing, in which they found a good quantity of dried fowls, and among them a great number of oftriches, of which the thighs were as large as thofe of a sheep. These birds are too heavy and unwieldy to rife from the ground, but with the help of their wings run fo fwiftly, that the English could never come near enough to shoot at them, The Indians, commonly, by holding a large plume of feathers before them, and walking gently forward, drive the oftriches into fome narrow neck, or point of land, then spreading a strong net from one fide to the other, to hinder them from returning back to the open fields, fet their dogs upon them, thus confined between the net and the water, and when they are thrown on their backs, rush in and take them.

Not finding this harbour convenient, or well ftored with wood and water, they left it on the 15th of May, and on the 18th entered another much fafer, and more commodious,

commodious, which they no fooner arrived at, than Drake, whose restlefs application never remitted, fent Winter to the fouthward, in queft of those ships which were abfent, and immediately after failed himself to the northward, and, happily meeting with the Swan, conducted it to the reft of the fleet; after which, in purfuance of his former refolution, he ordered it to be broken up, referving the iron work for a future fupply. The other veffel which they loft in the late ftorm could not be discovered.

While they were thus employed upon an island about a mile from the main land, to which, at low water, there was a paffage on foot, they were discovered by the natives, who appeared upon a hill at a distance, dancing, and holding up their hands, as beckoning the English to them; which Drake observing, fent out a boat, with knives, bells, and bugles, and fuch things as, by their usefulness or novelty, he imagined would be agreeable. As foon as the English landed, they obferved two men running towards them, as deputed by the company, who came within a little dif tance, and then standing still could not be prevailed upon to come nearer. The English therefore tied their presents to a pole, which they fixed in the ground, and then retiring, faw the Indians advance, who, taking what they found upon the pole, left, in return, fuch feathers. as they wear upon their heads, with a small bone about fix inches in length, carved round the top, and burnished.

Drake, obferving their inclination to friendship and traffic, advanced with fome of his company towards the hill, upon fight of whom the Indians ranged themfelves in a line from eaft to weft, and one of them running

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running from one end of the rank to the other, backwards and forwards, bowed himself towards the rifing and fetting of the fun, holding his hands over his head, and, frequently ftopping in the middle of the rank, leaped up towards the moon, which then fhone directly over their heads; thus calling the fun and moon, the deities they worship, to witness the fincerity of their profeffions of peace and friendship. While this ceremony was performed, Drake and his company afcended the hill, to the apparent terror of the Indians, whofe apprehenfions when the English perceived, they peaceably retired; which gave the natives fo much encouragement, that they came forward immediately, and exchanged their arrows, feathers, and bones, for fuch trifles as were offered them.

Thus they traded for fome time; but by frequent intercourse finding that no violence was intended, they became familiar, and mingled with the English without the leaft diftruft.

They go quite naked, except a skin of fome animal, which they throw over their fhoulders when they lie in the open air. They knit up their hair, which is very long, with a roll of oftrich feathers, and ufually carry their arrows wrapped up in it, that they may not encumber them, they being made with reeds, headed with flint, and therefore not heavy. Their bows are about an ell long.

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Their chief ornament is paint, which they use of feveral kinds, delineating generally upon their bodies the figures of the fun and moon, in honour of their deities.

It is obfervable, that moft nations, amongst whom the ufe of cloaths is unknown, paint their bodies. Such

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was the practice of the first inhabitants of our own country. From this custom did our earliest enemies, the Picts, owe their denomination. As it is not probable that caprice or fancy fhould be uniform, there muft be, doubtlefs, fome reason for a practice fo general and prevailing in distant parts of the world, which have no communication with each other. The original end of painting their bodies was, probably, to exclude the cold; an end, which, if we believe some relations, is fo effectually produced by it, that the men thus painted never shiver at the most piercing blasts. But doubtless any people fo hardened by continual feverities would, even without paint, be lefs fenfible of the cold than the civilized inhabitants of the fame climate. However, this practice may contribute, in fome degree, to defend them from the injuries of winter, and, in those climates where little evaporates by the pores, may be used with no great inconvenience; but in hot countries, where perfpiration in greater degree is neceffary, the natives only use unction to preserve them from the other extreme of weather: fo well do either reafon or experience fupply the place of fcience in favage countries!

They had no canoes like the other Indians, nor any method of croffing the water, which was probably the reason why the birds in the adjacent islands were fo tame, that they might be taken with the hand, having never been before frighted or molefted. The great plenty of fowls and feals, which crowded the fhallows in fuch numbers that they killed at their first arrival two hundred of them in an hour, contributed much to the refreshment of the English, who named the place Seal Bay from that animal.

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These feals seem to be the chief food of the natives, for the English often found raw pieces of their flesh half-eaten, and left, as they fuppofed, after a full meal by the Indians, whom they never knew to make use of fire, or any art, in dreffing or preparing their victuals.

Nor were their other cuftoms lefs wild or uncouth, than their way of feeding; one of them having received a cap off the general's head, and being extremely pleased as well with the honour as the gift, to exprefs his gratitude, and confirm the alliance between them, retired to a little distance, and thrusting an arrow into his leg, let the blood run upon the ground, testifying, as it is probable, that he valued Drake's friendship above life.

Having ftaid fifteen days among these friendly favages in 47 deg. 30 min. S. Lat. on June 3, they fet fail towards the South fea, and fix days af terwards ftopped at another little bay to break up the Chriftopher. Then paffing on, they caft anchor in another bay, not more than 20 leagues diftant from the Straits of Magellan.

It was now time seriously to deliberate in what manner they should act with regard to the Portugueze prize, which, having been feparated from them by the ftorm, had not yet rejoined them. To return in search of it, was fufficiently mortifying; to proceed without it, was not only to deprive themselves of a confiderable part of their force, but to expofe their friends and companions, whom common hardships and dangers had endeared to them, to certain death or captivity. This confideration prevailed; and therefore on the 18th, after prayers to God, with which Drake never forgot to begin an enterprize, he put to fea, and the next day,

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