ns that
he was about to sail away, and {275} peremptorily directed them to
leave the ship. Indeed, the movements of the sailors made his
intentions plain.

It was too late. There was a sharp cry--a signal--from the chief, and
without a moment's hesitation the Indians fell upon the unprepared and
astonished crew. Some of the savages hauled out war-clubs and
tomahawks which had been concealed in bundles of fur; others made use
of the knives just purchased. Lewis was the first man struck down. He
was mortally wounded, but succeeded in the subsequent confusion, in
gaining the steerage. McKay was seriously injured and thrown
overboard. In the boats surrounding the ships were a number of women,
and they despatched the unfortunate partner with their paddles. The
captain whipped out a sailor's sheath knife which he wore, and made a
desperate fight for his life. The sailors also drew their knives or
caught up belaying-pins or handspikes, and laid about them with the
energy of despair, but to no avail. They were cut down in spite of
every endeavor. The captain killed several of the Indians with his
knife, and was the last to fall, overborne in the end by numbers. He
was hacked and stabbed to death on his own deck.

The five sailors aloft had been terrified and helpless witnesses to the
massacre beneath them. That they must do something for their own lives
they now realized. Making their way aft by means of the rigging, they
swung themselves to the deck and dashed for the steerage hatch. The
attention of the savages had been diverted from them by the melee on
deck. The five men gained the hatch, the last man down, Weeks the
armorer being stabbed and mortally wounded, although he, too, gained
the hatch. At this juncture the Indian interpreter, who had not been
molested, sprang {276} overboard, and was taken into one of the canoes
and concealed by the women. His life was spared, and he was afterward
made a slave, and eventually escaped. The four unhurt men who had
gained the steerage, broke through into the cabin, armed themselves,
and made their way to the captain's cabin, whence they opened fire upon
the savages on deck. The Indians fled instantly, leaving many of their
dead aboard the ship. The decks of the _Tonquin_ had been turned into
shambles.

The next morning the natives saw a boat with four sailors in it pulling
away from the ship. They cautiously approached the _Tonquin_
thereupon, and discovered