Monsieur _de la Sale_ being desirous to join those Savages, to endeavour to get some Information from them, order’d Ten of us to lay down our Arms and draw near them, making Signs to them, at the same Time, to come to us.
When they saw us in that Posture and unarm’d, most of them also laid down their Bows and Arrows and came to meet us, caressing us after their Manner, and stroking first their own Breasts and then ours, then their own Arms and afterwards ours. By these Signs they gave us to understand that they had a Friendship for us, which they express’d by laying their Hands on their Hearts, and we did the same on our Part.
Six or seven of those Savages went along with us, and the rest kept three of our Men, in the Nature of Hostages. Those who went with us were made much of, but Monsieur _de la Sale_ could learn nothing of them, either by Signs or otherwise; all they could make us understand was, that there was good hunting of Bullocks in the Country. We observ’d, that their _Yea_ consisted in a Cry, fetch’d from the Bottom of the Throat, not unlike the Call of a Hen to gather her Chickens. Monsieur _de la Sale_ gave them some Knives, Hatchets and other Trifles, with which they seem’d well pleased, and went away.
Monsieur _de la Sale_ was glad to be rid of those People, because he was willing to be present when the Flyboat came in; but his ill Fate would not permit it. He thought fit to go himself along with those Savages, and we follow’d him, thinking to have found our Men in the same Place where we left them; but perceiv’d on the Contrary, that the Savages had carried them away to their Camp, which was a League and half from us, and Monsieur _de la Sablonniere_. Lieutenant of Foot, being one of those the Savages had taken with them. Monsieur _de la Sale_ resolved to go himself to fetch him away, an unhappy Thought which cost him dear.
As we were on our Way towards the Camp of the Savages, happening to look towards the Sea, we saw the Flyboat _l’ Aimable_ under Sail, which the Savages who were with us admir’d, and Monsieur _de la Sale_ observing it narrowly, told us, those People steer’d wrong, and were standing towards the Shoals, which made him very uneasy, but still we advanc’d. We arriv’d at the Camp of the Savages, which stood upon an Eminence, and consisted of about Fifty Cottages made of rush Mats, and others of dry’d Skins, and built with long Poles, bow’d round at the Top, like great Ovens, and most of the Savages sitting about, as if they were upon the Watch.