was wasted before Waally could be brought to
confide in the honour of his enemies. At last, love for his offspring
brought him, unarmed, alongside of the schooner, and the governor met
this formidable chief, face to face. He found the latter a wily and
intelligent savage. Nevertheless, he had not the art to conceal his
strong affection for his son, and on that passion did Mark Woolston
play. Waally offered canoes, robes of feathers, whales' teeth, and every
thing that was most esteemed among his own people, as a ransom for the
boy. But this was not the exchange the governor desired to make. He
offered to restore the son to the arms of his father as soon as the five
seamen who were still prisoners on his citadel island should be brought
alongside of the schooner. If these terms were rejected, the lad must
take the fate of war.

Great was the struggle in the bosom of Waally, between natural
affection, and the desire to retain his captives. After two hours of
subterfuges, artifices, and tricks, the former prevailed, and a treaty
was made. Agreeably to its conditions, the schooner was to pilot the
fleet of canoes to Betto's group, which could easily be done, as Mark
knew not only its bearings, but its latitude and longitude. As soon as
this was effected, Waally engaged to send a messenger for the seamen,
and to remain himself on board the Abraham until the exchange was
completed. The chief wished to attach terms, by which the colonists were
to aid him in more effectually putting down Ooroony, who was checked
rather than conquered, but Mark refused to listen to any such
proposition. He was more disposed to aid, than to overcome the kind
hearted Ooroony, and made up his mind to have an interview with him
before he returned from the intended voyage.

Some delay would have occurred, to enable Mark to let Bridget know of
his intended absence, had it not been for the solicitude of Betts.
Finding the sails of the schooner had gone out of sight to leeward, Bob
manned the Neshamony, and followed as a support. In the event of a
wreck, for instance, his presence might have been of the last
importance. He got alongside of the Abraham just as the treaty was
concluded, and was in time to carry back the news to the crater, where
he might expect still to arrive that evening. With this arrangement,
therefore, the parties separated, Batts beating back, through the
channels of the Reef and the governor leading off to the northward and
westw