[Footnote 31: "We here saw a great number of islands, and many Indians dispersed in several quarters, amongst whom we found a family which struck our attention. It was composed of a decrepid old man, his wife, two sons, and a daughter. The latter appeared to have tolerable features, and an English face, which they seemed to be desirous of letting us know; they making a long harangue, not a syllable of which we understood, though we plainly, perceived it was in relation to this woman, whose age did not exceed thirty, by their pointing first at her, and then at themselves. Various were the conjectures we formed in regard to this circumstance, though we generally agreed, that their signs plainly shewed that they offered her to us, as being of the same country." It is scarcely uncharitable to imagine that this young lady's mother had once been unfaithful to her lord and master, preferring the addresses of some favoured European. A little of our northern pride would have concealed this family disgrace. But in those distant regions, where such occurrences must have been rare, perhaps vanity would gratify itself by transmuting it into an honour. After all, however, it is very difficult to divine who was or could be the "gay deceiver." A fanciful reader, indeed, who was acquainted with Byron's narrative of the loss of the Wager, might be tempted to conjecture that the good mother, being on an expedition to the northward of the straits, was one of the wives whom, as he says, the crew, at that time subject to no controul, endeavoured to seduce, a conduct which gave the Indians great offence. There are undoubtedly some strong marks of identity, betwixt the Indians described in that narrative and the inhabitants found in the straits. They resembled in stature, in complexion, in hair, in dress, viz. the skin of some unknown beast; they used the same diet, living principally on fish, (muscles are particularly mentioned in both accounts;) they were both very dexterous in the management of the javelin; and the former, it is clear from Byron's words, came from the south. Their canoes also, it may be added, were of very similar materials and structure. Of the jealousy of these Indians, Byron relates some striking evidences, from what he himself had the unhappiness to experience. Who knows what some waggish spectator of the young lady might surmise about her English features, if he had ever heard of the gallant commodore's adventure in the wigwam, &c., so feelingly introduced and dilated in his interesting narrative!--E.]