eir wishes, they looked terrified, and had suddenly
disappeared. In consequence of their threatening attitudes, Pascoe
and his party had left the village, and hastened back to their
masters.

Totally unconscious of danger, the Landers were reclining on their
mats, for they too, like their people, were wearied with toil, and
overcome with drowsiness, when in about twenty minutes after their
men had returned, one of them shouted with a loud voice, "War is
coming, O war is coming!" and ran towards them with a scream of
terror, telling them, that the natives were hastening to attack them.
They started up at this unusual exclamation, and looking about them,
they beheld a large party of men, almost naked, running in a very
irregular manner, and with uncouth gestures, towards their little
encampment. They were all variously armed with muskets, bows and
arrows, knives, cutlasses, barbs, long spears, and other instruments
of destruction; and as they gazed upon this band of wild men, with
their ferocious looks and hostile appearance, which was not a little
heightened on observing the weapons in their hands, they felt a very
uneasy kind of sensation, and wished themselves safe out of their
hands.

Their party was at this time much scattered, but fortunately they
could see them coming to them at some distance, and they had time to
collect their men. They resolved, however, to prevent bloodshed, if
possible; their numbers were too few to leave them a chance of
escaping by any other way. The natives were approaching fast, and had
nearly arrived close to the palm tree. Not a moment was to be lost.
They desired Pascoe and all their men to follow behind them at a
short distance, with the loaded muskets and pistols; and they
enjoined them strictly not to fire, unless they were first fired at.
One of the natives, who proved to be the chief, was perceived to be a
little in advance of his companions, and throwing down their pistols,
which they had snatched up in the first moment of surprise, the two
Landers walked very composedly and unarmed towards him. As they
approached him, they made all the signs and motions they could with
their arms, to deter him and his people from firing on them. His
quiver was dangling at his side, his bow was bent, and an arrow,
which was pointed at their breasts, already trembled on the string,
when they were within a few yards of his person. This was a highly
critical moment--the next might be their last. Bu