Year: 1879

ashore myself to examine, with view
of purchasing, If the weather should
continue fine the next day for getting
the things off.


Taking Barney into the boat with us,
we started for the shore, the boats crew
being all armed, and cautioned particu-
larly to be on their guard. The mate
was also instructed to use the utmost
vigilance, and to keep the ship as near
the land as practicable My intention
was, not to be absent from her more
than a couple of hours, which would be
sufficient to examine the articles for
sale and. decide upon purchasing. 1
could be snug on board again by sun
down, and finish the business on the
morrow.


We found the landing on the coral
shelf rather dubious work for a whale
boat, though the native canoes managed
it very well, making sport of what
might have been to us matter of life
and death.


1 was compelled to trust somewhat to
the Irishman's pilotage, and we got
ashore without material accident, though
our boat was slightly stoven in so do
ing. Barney led the way along the
beach towards the place where we had
seen the anchor and the casks, and four
of us accompanied him, leaving two in
charge of the boat.


The crowd of savages hovered round
us, seemingly in high glee, the Irish
man talking continually in the barbar-
Gus cultural dialect of the island, of
which he seemed to be quite master.


Before we reached the place where the
! shipwrecked articles were collected, we
had to round bend in the land, so that
our own boat was hidden from view;
but we gave little heed to this fact, as
all appeared straightforward and friend
ly, and we apprehended no danger while
| the ship was so near at hand to support
| us. The anchor proved to be a very
| good one, and there were two service
able fiuke-chains and many other valua-
BILE articles offered for mere trifle in
the way of barter; so that had fully
determined to buy the whole, and take
them on board next morning, if wind
and weather should serve. was in the
act of arranging my plan to this end
with Barney, when the report of a
musket from the direction of the boat
startled us. Immediately jumped to
my feet, with word of caution to the
men to look to their arms and be on
their guard. A single step satisfied me
that we were not to be allowed to return
whence we came, without fighting our
way.


The women and children, who had
until now formed portion of the
| crowd, were leaving us, and drawing off
inland, sure indication that treachery
was on foot.


1t did not appear, however, to be the
| design of the savages to kill us at once,
or they might have done SO, by making
rush in upon us, as we were only four
in number. They doubtless thought it
more profitable to secure us and hold us
for ransom, while they knew that some
lives must be lost at the first attack, and
felt little wholesome dread of our
| guns.


We, on the other hand, endeavored to
present as bold a front as possible against
such fearful odds, and to refrain from
bloodshed until compelled thereto in the
last extremity. Besides, if we discharg-
ed our firearms, we would be at the
mercy of the enemy before we could
possibly reload them.


Finding that we could not make way
against the living wall that barred our
return to our comrades at the boat, we
came to a stand, formed in group,
back to back, so as to present gun to
each of the four points of the compass,
while opened a parley with Barney,
demanding of him why we were OBJ
structed in our movements, and what
was the purpose of the natives? He
assured me that no violence was in
tended, but that the king had determin-
ed have us remain on shore all night,
and that we could not be allowed to
leave the beach, though he hoped we
would see the necessity of submitting to
his wishes without forcing him to order
an attack.


Any fool could see this, of course;
that fight must result in our being
overpowered and massacred as soon as
we had fired one volley. The Irishman,
e r