o far out to be
taken; then, when we have got into the canoe, we will turn our boat
adrift."

I agreed to the proposals. We launched our boat very quietly, and I
walked in the water up to my knees, drawing it after me till I arrived
opposite to the canoe. The Portuguese crept on his hands and knees till
he had gained the canoe, pushed her off, and joined me. We made her
fast to the tow-rope of our own boat, then got into the boat, and pulled
away from the island.

We had not gained more than a hundred yards when the whiz of an arrow
met our ears. The Indians had discovered us, it was evident. Two or
three more arrows came flying by us, but we had now got well out, and
they fell harmless. We continued to pull till we were half a mile from
the island, and then we laid on our oars. The stars shone bright; there
was a young moon, so as to enable us to see pretty well. We found the
paddles of the canoe lying on the cross-pieces. We had nothing to take
from the boat but our tow-rope and the two small oars; these we put into
the canoe, and then, getting in ourselves, we let the boat go adrift.
We put her head to the northward, between the island and the main, and
paddled away as fast as we could.

The captain was a much better hand than I was, and he therefore took the
office of steersman. The water was as smooth as glass, and we made
rapid progress, and did not discontinue our exertions, except now and
then resting for a few moments, till the morning dawned, when we could
hardly distinguish the island we had left, and found ourselves about
five miles from the mainland. We had now time to examine the contents
of the canoe, and had much reason to be gratified with our acquisition.
It had three bear-skins at the bottom, several pounds of yams, cooked
and uncooked, two calabashes full of water, bows and arrows, three
spears, a tomahawk, three fishing-lines and hooks, and some little
gourds full of black, white, and red paint; and, what we prized more
than all, some flints and a large rusty nail, with rotten wood to serve
as tinder.

"We are fortunate," said the captain; "now, before we pull in for the
shore we must paint ourselves like Indians; at all events, you must
black yourself, as you have no shirt, and I must do the same, although I
do not require it so much as you do."

"Let us have something to eat and drink first," replied I, "and we will
proceed to our toilet afterwards."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

M