with
an appearance of friendship, to render us some assistance by towing our
boat; and after some deliberation we concluded to throw them a line.
This greatly facilitated our progress, as their canoe, being made very
light, skimmed over the water with incredible swiftness. No sooner was
this arrangement completed than a chief, and one other of the natives,
left their canoe and took their station with us; the chief with a
somewhat offensive familiarity seating himself in the stern of the boat,
near the captain. We were not long in doubt concerning the motive which
had led them to this act of condescension. Our bread was contained in a
small chest, which had been placed in the bottom of the boat; this
seemed to have excited their curiosity to the highest pitch, as they
kept their eyes almost constantly upon it, and endeavored to persuade
the captain to give them a chance to examine its contents. He declined
gratifying them, thinking it better to keep their anxiety alive, rather
than to expose to them the comparative worthlessness of the little that
remained with us, of either the comforts or necessaries of life.

Probably owing to this show of resistance on our part, when we had
approached to within five or six miles of the island, at a signal given
by the chief, the sail of their canoe was suddenly dropped; and, seizing
our powder canister, he jumped overboard and swam to the canoe. His
companion, following the example of the thievish chief, seized a bundle
of clothing and was making off with it; whereupon Mr. Nute, who had not
yet become entirely reconciled to the fashion of going without clothes,
like our new acquaintances, and conceiving that it might be well to
insist upon having the rights of property respected, caught hold of the
bundle and retained it. Upon this they immediately hauled us alongside,
and seized upon our oars; here again we had occasion to offer some
resistance to their supposed right to plunder us, and we succeeded in
keeping possession of these; the only remaining means of saving
ourselves from premature death and a watery grave.

They had by this time become so exasperated, that we considered it
altogether desirable to get ourselves out of the reach of their war
clubs, spears, and battle-axes; and we took measures accordingly. We
were still held fast to their canoe, and so completely within their
reach that it required not a little courage to make any attempt to leave
them; but Mr. Nute, whose