Year: 1879

Jloneu IOm, ne called tne seaman from
the waist, and asked If they had heard
any sounds. They had not; but the
Tannaman had, and came aft to report
the noises, as the seamen were going
away forward.


The mate asked him what he suppos-
ed the natives were doing on shore, but
he could not say, unless they were either
fighting among themselves, or were hav-
ing cannibal feast; but neither hy-
pothesis would account for the noises.


Morgan did not go below again, and
when my watch was up rolled myself
in blanket and had a nap on deck
boots, revolver and all. We were no
further disturbed, and Captain Graham
was not called till four O'Clock, as he
had directed.


After listening to our story he coolly
observed that he didn't care how much
the natives fought with and ate each
other, and that had done wrong in not
calling him at once on hearing the sea-
mans report; but that we would find
out if there was anything up, as soon as
it was light.


AS the schooner was becalmed, the
boat was got ready to start at once, two
shot-guns and three muskets being in,
and having snatched a cup of strong
coffee and bite of bread and beef, we
pulled away for the point at about five
o'clock, daylight already enabling us to
see that besides our boat the schooner
was the only object on that part of the
Pacific. We pulled in near enough to
the shore to see the faint line of white
made by the ripple on the beach, and
coasted along to the extremity of the
point beyond which we had seen the
light, without discovering any signs of
the natives, But as we rounded the
point, Graham, who was standing in
the stern at the steering oar suddenly
exclaimed:


"Avast pulling; what the devil is
thatp Ay the Eternal they have got
wreck there. Here's the devil to pay,
men; pull ahead, and let's get out of
this sight-if they haven't seen us al
ready-pull ahead"


The object which had caused the cap
tain's exclamation was brig, apparent
ly close in shore, and half concealed
from our view by the trees on low
projection of land; and as we shot the
boat ahead in obedience to Graham's
orders, a few strokes sufficed to shut
her in behind the point nearest her, as
we were still following the shore line,
and, having rounded the tongue of land
which concealed the schooner from the
natives, were pulling down the other
side of it into small bay, or rather
large cove.


We kept about a pistol-shot from the
shore until we arrived at the low point
on the opposite side of which we
supposed the brig was ashore, without
seeing any of the savages. Near the
extreme end was a wide white breach
which extended right up to the trees and
bushes, the latter not being very thick
at this point.


Graham gave up the steering-oar to
the steward, loosened his knife in his
sheath, took one of the double-barrels
in his hand, and directing me to stand
by with the big shotgun, as usual when
trading, ordered the steward to lay the
boats nose on the beach. AS soon as
she took the ground he stepped out in
to the shoal water, told us to lay on our
oars as close in as we could and not
touch the bottom, and moved cautious
ly towards the trees, with his gun ready
for instant use.


We waited anxiously for few mo-
ments after he disappeared among the
bushes, and raised the gun to my
shoulder as saw sudden stir near
where he had entered; but my alarm
was groundless, for the movement was
made by Graham himself. Casting his
eyes behind him, to see the position of
the boat, he laid down his gun, advanc-
ed on hand and knees to bush, peered
through it for a moment, and then beck
oned to me to join him. Taking my
trusty weapon with me, was soon at
his side.


Look there,'' whispered Graham,
opening the bush little; 4" see what the
black devils are at


Looking where he directed, ] did see.
A large brig, whose wooden davits and
black sails would have told she was O
whaler, without the spare boats turned
up on her skids, was ashore on reef
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