e we opened a fire from the deck of the ship. As soon as
the savages saw us ready to fire, they dodged behind the rocks, so that
none of them were wounded. Still we hoped that by this means the boats
would be allowed to tow ahead without molestation. We were mistaken,
for the savages shifted their ground, and once more drove the boats on
board. We clearly distinguished Badham and the rest of the deserters
among the savages, and several times they were seen to fire at us.
Happily they also were wretched shots, and their muskets thoroughly bad
also. That they should venture to fire showed that they had no doubt of
getting us into their power, for should we escape and inform against
them, they would run a great chance of being captured and hanged. Later
in the day, Jack and I again made attempts to tow out the ship from her
perilous position.

The savages all the day continued howling and shrieking and working
themselves into what seemed an ungovernable fury, while they were,
however, biding their time, knowing that probably a strong sea-breeze
would soon spring up and cast the ship helpless into their power. Thus
another night closed on us. Ere long great was our joy to feel a light
air blowing off the shore. The pawls of the windlass were muffled, and
not a word was spoken. The anchors were lifted, the topsails were
suddenly let drop, and slowly we glided off from the land. The weather
becoming very thick and dark, we were compelled again to anchor, lest we
might have run on one of the many reefs surrounding the island. Here we
remained on our guard till daylight, when we could see the natives
dancing and gesticulating with rage at finding that we had escaped them.
The favourable breeze continuing, we were soon able to get far out of
their reach, I for one deeply thankful that we had not only escaped
without loss ourselves, but without killing any of the unhappy savages.
The treatment we received was such as at that time might have been
expected from the inhabitants of nearly all the islands of the Pacific,
including those of New Zealand, and numberless were the instances of
ships' companies and boats' crews cut off by them.

A very few years after our visit, this same island was brought under
missionary influence, the idols were overthrown, heathenism and all its
abominable practices disappeared, and the inhabitants became a
thoroughly well-ordered, God-fearing, and law-obeying Christian
community. The sam