nly spot where there was much danger of a
man's being seen from the ocean; for the fringe of wood had been
religiously preserved all around the cliffs. But, with the exception of
the single tree already mentioned, the Peak was entirely naked; and, in
that clear atmosphere, the form of a man might readily be distinguished
even at a much greater elevation. But the glasses were levelled at the
strangers from covers long before prepared for that purpose, and no fear
was entertained of the look-outs, who had their instructions, and well
understood the importance of caution.

At length, the vessels got so near, as to allow of the glasses being
pointed directly down upon the upper deck of the ship, in particular.
The strangers had a little difficulty in weathering the northern
extremity of the island, and they came much closer to the cliffs than
they otherwise would, in order to do so. While endeavouring to ascertain
the country of the ship, by examining her people, the governor fancied
he saw some natives on board her. At first, he supposed there might be
Kannakas, or Mowrees, among the crew; but, a better look assured him
that the Indians present were not acting in the character of sailors at
all. They appeared to be chiefs, and chiefs in their war-dresses. This
fact induced a still closer examination, until the governor believed
that he could trace the person of Waally among them. The distance itself
was not such as to render it difficult to recognize a form, or a face,
when assisted by the glass; but the inverted position of all on board
the ship did make a view less certain than might otherwise have been the
case. Still the governor grew, at each instant, more and more assured
that Waally was there, as indeed he believed his son to be, also. By
this time, one of the men who knew the chief had come up to the Peak,
with a message from Heaton, and he was of the same opinion as the
governor, after taking a good look through the best glass. Bridget, too,
had seen the formidable Waally, and _she_ gave it as her opinion that he
was certainly on board the ship. This was considered as a most important
discovery. If Waally were there, it was for no purpose that was friendly
to the colonists. The grudge he owed the last, was enduring and deadly.
Nothing but the strong arm of power could suppress its outbreakings, or
had kept him in subjection, for the last five years. Of late, the
intercourse between the two groups had not been great