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just under Cape Gallant, the most commodious harbour for shipping of any they had yet seen in the Streights. Here they caught no fish, but killed an incredible number of wild ducks, which supplied the crews in their stead. Before they departed, the master of the Swallow, having ascended on of the highest rocks on the shore, erected a monument, and on it placed a bottle, in which was enclosed a new shilling, and a label with the ship's name and date of the year. 
They were now arrived at the dreary and turbulent part of the Streights, where rock was heaped upon rock, and crag upon crag, and where the Sea seemed to contend with the Land to cover the deformities of Nature under her billows.
On the 28th, the Swallow, having anchored in Elizabeth's bat, was with difficulty saved from splitting against the rocks. 
On the 29th, a party of Indians having been observed advancing and laughing very loud, a party from the ships went to meet them, and shook hands with them; but they stunk so abominably, having rotten flesh about them, which they eat raw, that the men were not over-fond of their salute. They were, however, very friendly, and very willing to become acquainted. They were of middling stature, shivered with cold tho' in the height of summer, and, to all human appearance, were the most deplorable race of men existing in the universe: yet they seemed by no means discontended ; for when they were admitted on board, the sight of those conveniences with which the Europeans abounded, produced in them neither joy nor grief ; they beheld everything the saw with a kind of stupid indifference ; and, when they quitted the ships, in which there were many articles of European jewellery likely enough to excite curiosity and to gratify it, yet they paddled away without ever casting their eyes behind them. What most astonished them was the looking-glasses ; they looked before and behind them ; and when they laughed, seeing their reflected images laugh, after they had recovered from their first surprize, they became, like the Patagonians, immoderately merry. 
Having assembled, to the number of forty, on shore, they made a fire, and Capt. Wallis, with some officers, paid them a visit. They saw them devour their flesh-meat in a beastly manner without dressing, and living fish without opening or cleansing. They, notwithstanding, discovered much affection for their children, and were very careful to preserve the chastity of their women ; they suffered none of them to come aboard, tho' they wound have been in no danger from the meanest sailor. The Captain distributed some trifles among them, which they received as children do play-things ; they looked at them a-while, and threw them by. They were, however, sensible of the benefit of cloths, and would fain have parted with their arms, which was the only thing they had of any value, in exchange for jackets, trowsers, and shoes. They offered some mundic, which they made sighs they gathered from the mountains, where it is probable there may be mines of value. They were the same king of people that were seen by Byron and Bougainville. Their arms were bows, with arrows and javelins headed with flint, in the use of which they were very expert.
Their manner of kindling their fires was very different from that of the islanders between the Tropics ; for, instead of friction by wood, they struck a flint against a piece of mundic, and by holding dry moss, or some other combustible, underneath, they caught the sparks. This done, by waving briskly about in the air whatever was thus ignited, a flame was presently produced ; and having every-where plenty of wood, their fires were soon kindled, and cast a great heat. Their huts are generally formed under the shelter of hills, in thickets, or in caverns, and near some river or running stream. As they drink nothing but water, they are careful to be well supplied with that element. 
It is not easy to conceive by what contrivance they are enabled to point their arrows and javelins, the stones, of which the heads of them are composed, being cut with sufficient skill. 
Bougainville, who had several interviews with these people, gives them the name Pecherais, from their often repeating that word. He thinks they are superstitious; that they believe in evil genii ; and that they have impostors among them, who pretend to influence those spirits, and who practise both as priests and physicians. He grounds his opinion on the following incident : Being detained in Port-Gallant bay by contrary winds and tempestuous weather,  

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