Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-06-25

trader badly. and invited me TO stop.
So I pitched on likely spot in the
middle Of grove of palms. close 20
the beach. you may be sure. We soon 4
ran up a rough bamboo house. and L 1
got the wife aud children. for there I
were two by this time, into il. Then |
up the boat and / sat down TO wait
for nv customers.
II might have been waiting till this
day. for all the business I did. The
chief was very pleasant and fair spoken
aud took all the presents I gave him
with the greatest cOndescension. But
when IL came 20 trading / found the
people were so poor that they'd moth
ing 10 trade with got about hun
dred pounds OF cOpra and little pearl
shell In a week. that was all. soon
made up my mind that the place was
not good enough for my business. and
besides, from one OF two little things
I'd noticed. / came 20 the conclusion
that il would be healthier 70 leave "a
soon as possible.
1T would not do. knew, 60 appear
In a hurry 70 get away, 40 I took mat
tiers easily. and gradually packed up
the trade and got every thing ready
for starting. But. quiet as was about
/ it, the natives were too smart for me.
They saw what was up 20. aud the
word went round the village that the
white men was not 70 be allowed 20 20
away and 90 take all that lovely trade
with him. I was IN tight place, and
I knew It. and the boats crew Just sat
shivering In their naked feet. for they
felt that their fate would be the same
"a mine.
But the old woman was not afraid
AZ all. IL was wonderful the way she
kept up. with the two babies 70 look
after and all cooking and work of the
house 70 DO. As for me. was pretty
well worn out with watching. and did
not get a wink Of sleep for three nights
The natives would come around
friendly enough during the daytims
and look at our goods. and we had 4
treat them pleasant. for II would never
do 20 let them see that we were afraid
But az night we had 20 be all on guard
for We never knew at what moment
rush might be made. I had raised
kind OF rough stockade OF bambo,
about the house. and within this
p posted the four men 81 the crew. eacl
/ with a Snider. I had Wincheste
myself. but what good would thes,
( arms be II the natives should make
e rush in a body on us' I didn't dar
= sleep. / can tell Won. / was up an,
around every few minutes 70 see tina
e the guards were awake and keeping
e bright lookout At last, on the thir,
p night, we had everything packed an
Y | made up my mind to start az once
{ The boys got the whaleboat out fror
the shed under which she had bee
p lying, and together we pushed he
S down the steep bank into the bay
e But we had no sooner launched he
q than she filed, the water was up Z
e her thwarts, and there was nothing f.
% il but 20 haul her ashore again.
p I could not make it out at all. for
Il week she had been "a perfectly SCUM
Il and seaworthy boat. and l knew Al
IT could not have dried mp SO much
e the time. Still there was no d0ul
i about her leaking. and 1 soon fouu
ont the reason. Those devils of nj
/. tives had been at her. and some tim
IS IL must have been during the prev.ot
* night, had managed To knock "A lot
IF holes Ia her bottom. They were qui,
ID over the work. too. for. though n
e boat was close by. we never heard
e sound. They had STAYED in Il
2. planks with the heads OF their stol
At axes. 1t was a good job had not so
them any iron tomahaNks, or else q
Il boat would have been cut 70 piec
a. beyond repair. Il was bad enoug
but. as the wrecked craft lay there
,e the mangrove swamp, saw glimm
D. of hope II We could patch her ,
We might still get away. If '
5, couldn't -well. I knew none of
Of would see another dawn 1t W
is touch and go. hut there was Just
rs chance. l posted the men on qua
lg all around the palisade. with strict
10 functions TO fire at every native tn
la saw approaching. Then the wife a.
IN /, and she was "A brave little woma
o. set 20 work. We collected all the c
e. meat tins we could ind about I
III place, and. rs We had been living
ne nothing but timed stuff for the D.
week, there we're plenty. / mad,