KING GEORGE'S SOUND
On Dec. 30th our wooding and the watering of the ship were completed,
the rigging was refitted, the sails repaired and bent, and the ship
unmoored. Our friends, the natives, continued to visit us; and the old
man with several others being at the tents this morning, I ordered a
party of marines on shore to be exercised in their presence. The red
coats and white crossed belts were greatly admired, having some
resemblance to their own manner of ornamenting themselves; and the drum,
but particularly the fife, excited their astonishment, but when they saw
these beautiful red and white men with their bright muskets, drawn up in
a line, they absolutely screamed with delight; nor were their wild
gestures and vociferation to be silenced but by commencing the exercise,
to which they paid the most earnest and silent attention. Several of
them moved their hands involuntarily in accordance with the motions; and
the old man placed himself at the end of the rank, with a short staff in
his hand, which he shouldered, presented, grounded, as did the marines
their muskets, without, I believe, knowing what he did.
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