the most plundering and lubberly set of rascals to be met with
anywhere."

"They are not acquainted with the use of fire-arms, are they?"

"No not of fire-arms; but they have a machine of their own that they
call a waddy, or something of that sort, which they throw like a
harpoon; but the thing takes a twist in the air, and strikes behind
them."

"Is the coast accessible?"

"No; it is fringed with reefs, and, in some places, the surf runs for
miles out to sea."

"The navigation along shore, then, is extremely perilous?"

"Whatever can he be driving at?" thought Willis.

"Yes; such a lee shore in a gale would terrify the Flying Dutchman
himself."

Here Becker shook his head dolefully, and they walked on a little
further in silence.

"What islands do you suppose are nearest us, Willis?"

"I should say we are in or near the group marked in the chart
Papuasia; beyond them is the territory of New Guinea, and a point to
nor'ard are a whole nest of islands discovered by the celebrated
buccaneer, Dampiere."

"And their inhabitants?"

"Oh, some of them are pretty fair; but, taking them in the lump, they
are a bad lot."

"The islands to the west are those discovered by Cook, Vancouver, and
Bougainville, are they not?"

"They are marked Polynesia in the charts."

"Do you know of any European settlements on these islands?"

"Well, there is a fort of the Hudson's Bay Company on Vancouver's
Island, but that is a long way north; and, I believe, a factory has
recently been anchored in New Zealand, but that is a long way south."

"And what are the principal islands between?"

"There is New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, the Friendly Islands, the
Societies' Islands, the Marquesas, Tahite, and the Pelew Islands; but
each navigator gives them a new name, so that it is hard to say which
is which; all you can do is to say that there is an island in latitude
so and so and longitude so and so, but the name is almost out of the
question."

"And the natives?"

"Some of them are remarkably tame, and trade freely with strangers;
but others have strongly marked cannibal propensities, and dote upon a
white-skin feast when they can get one."

Here Becker shuddered, and uttered an exclamation of horror.

"That would be a terrible fate, Willis."

"Whatever can he mean?" thought the Pilot.

"Willis, to reach Europe from here, what course do you think would be
best?"

"Now I think I shall fix him at last," said the Pilot,