om Wowow and Boossa,
had hitherto been a great encumbrance upon the Landers, as their
maintenance was by no means inconsiderable, at the same time, they
were themselves in some measure dependent upon the native chiefs for
their support. They were, therefore, heartily rejoiced to get rid of
them, and having been paid their stipulated wages, they left the town
in company to proceed to Wowow.

The question of the canoes was, however, by no means settled, for the
Landers were on a sudden surprised by the arrival of a small party of
men, who arrived in a canoe, from the chief of the island of Teah,
with a message to them, purporting that the canoes which they had, to
the infinite surprise of the chief, detained at Lever, did not belong
as was supposed, to his friend, the chief of Patashie, but were his
own property, and as he did not acknowledge the authority of Wowow,
but had ever been subject to the king of Nouffie, he considered that
they could have no right whatever to the canoes in question, and,
therefore, he entreated them to return the canoes by the hands of his
messengers. The chief of Teah asserted, that he had lent them,
because he was willing to oblige the white men and his own neighbour,
but he did not conceive it possible that they could make so
ungrateful and unkind a return for his hospitality, and the respect
and attention which it had been his pride and pleasure to show them.
For their own parts, they could not forbear acknowledging the truth
and justice of the observations of the Teah chieftain, and blaming
themselves for the step they had taken. They said further, that
whatever might be the consequence, they had not the slightest
objection to restore the canoes to their rightful owner; and provided
the men from Teah could obtain the consent of Ducoo, the priest, to
take them away, they were at liberty to do so whenever they might
think proper. But this, they were by no means disposed to do, for
they both feared and hated Ducoo, and, therefore, they bribed the
Nouffie messenger with a large sum of money to assist them in their
project, and purposed taking away both canoes in the night time by
stealth. These intentions were, however, frustrated by the watchful
vigilence of Ducoo, who had mistrusted them long before they were
made known to the Landers, and when he had actually detected their
plans, he ordered the canoes to be pulled up on shore, two hundred
yards at least from the water's edge, and observed