istance, we reached another much larger
beach, on which a number of canoes were drawn up and a large concourse
of people assembled. We looked about for the captain and our shipmates,
who had at first landed. On going a little farther, what was our horror
to see the greater number of them lying dead on the shore, with their
heads so battered that we could scarcely recognise them. We knew the
captain, however, by his figure and dress; we had, therefore, too much
reason to suppose that we were the only survivors of the _Dolphin's_
crew, with the exception of those who had escaped in the boat and the
men who had been saved on the mast. We saw the latter alive in some of
the canoes still afloat. Whether the captain had been killed before the
destruction of the ship, we could not at first ascertain, but I believe
he and the rest were murdered after the accident.

The chief held a long consultation, while Dick and I stood at a little
distance watching them, uncertain what was to be our fate.

"Cheer up, Charley," said Dick. "I would fight for you as long as
there's life in me, if it would be of any use; but I don't think,
savages as they are, that they will have the heart to kill you; and as
for me, as I said before, they may do as they like, though I wish I was
sure they would not eat me afterwards."

"Oh, Dick, Dick!" I cried out, "don't think of anything so horrid! I
will ask the young chief not to hurt you, and I will tell him he had
better kill me first."

Just then the consultation came to an end, and Motakee, coming up to us,
made signs that we need not be afraid, and that he would protect us.

I afterwards found, when I came to know their language, that he had told
the other chiefs that on seeing me he had been reminded of a little boy
he had lost, and that he had saved Dick on my account, supposing that he
was my father, or, at all events, my friend.

Six men, one of whom was a Sandwich Islander, named Tui, who had been
saved on the mast, were now brought on shore. As we watched them, we
fully believed that the savages would put them to death, as they had the
other poor fellows. Tui, however, stepped forward and addressed the
natives in a language which they appeared to comprehend. They again
consulted together, the unhappy men standing apart, uncertain whether
they might not at any moment find the clubs of the savages crashing
through their brains. Trusting to Motakee's protection, I felt inclined
t