. I could not exactly decipher what it was, so I crept under the
counter of the vessel, where it was so dark that I could not be
distinguished. As it approached, I made it out to be one of the
islanders with a faggot of wood on his back; he placed it close to the
side of the vessel, and then crawled back as before. I now perceived
that there were hundreds of these faggots about the ship, which the
islanders had contrived to carry there during the night; for although
the moon was up, yet the vessel was so inclosed with trees that the
light did not penetrate. I immediately comprehended that it was their
intention to set fire to the vessel, and I was thinking of communicating
the information to my companions on board, when two more crawled from
the woods, and deposited their bundles so close to me, that we were
nearly in contact. I therefore was obliged to leave those who were on
board to make the best of it, and imitating the islanders, I crawled
from the vessel into the brushwood, trailing the gun after me. It was
fortunate that I took this precaution, for in the very part of the wood
where I crept to, there were dozens of them making up faggots, but it
was too thick with underwood, and too dark to distinguish any thing,
although I heard them close to me breaking off the branches. I did the
same as I went on, to avoid discovery, until I had passed by them, when
I continued my route to where the canoes had been left. I arrived in
safety at the outskirts of the wood close to the beach, and perceived
the canoes still lying at the rocks, to which they had been taken; but
the moon shone bright, and I hesitated to walk out in the light, until I
ascertained whether there were any islanders on the beach. As I waited
a short time in the dark shade of the trees, close to one of the springs
of fresh water, I heard a moan close to me, and looking in that
direction I perceived a body on the ground. I went towards it, and
could distinguish very plainly that it was one of the women who had swam
on shore. She was nearly lifeless, and feeling, as every man must have
done, compassion at her unfortunate condition, I knelt down by her to
see if I could afford her any assistance. As she had very little
clothes round her body, I discovered, by passing my hand over her, that
she was wounded with a musket-ball above the knee, and was exhausted
from pain and loss of blood. I tore my neck-cloth and shirt into
bandages, and bound up her