n a green
bough, went to the brow of the hill and waved it over his head--a token
of a friendly disposition, understood in all those regions. To our
great satisfaction, we saw the savages tearing down boughs, which they
waved in the same manner. Among the whaler's crew was a Sandwich
Islander who spoke the language of many of the people in those regions.
He was told to try and see if he could make them understand him. Waving
a bough he went forward to meet them, while the rest of us stood ready
to fire should any treachery be practised. They did not seem, however,
to have meditated any, and met him in a perfectly friendly manner.
After talking to them for some time, he came back and said he had
arranged everything. He told them that we were voyaging to our own
country, and that we had landed here to await the arrival of another
ship. If we were treated well, our friends would return the compliment;
but that if otherwise, they would certainly avenge us. This,
undoubtedly, was far from strictly true; but I have no doubt that it had
the effect of making the savages disposed to treat us hospitably. The
savages on this put down their arms and advanced towards us with
friendly gestures. Mr Brand, consequently, went to meet them, ordering
us, at the same time, to keep our arms ready in case of treachery. The
savages were very dark. Some of them, whom, we took to be chiefs, wore
turbans over their frizzled-out hair, and mantles and kilts of native
cloth. They shook hands with Mr Brand in a very friendly way, and
invited us all to their houses; but he replied that he preferred
building a house where we had landed, though he would be obliged to them
for a supply of food. The natives replied very politely that the food
we should have, and that they hoped we should change our minds regarding
the place where we proposed building a house.

After some further conversation the chiefs and their followers retired,
and Mr Brand advised all hands to set to work to fortify the hill where
we were posted, and to bring up the greater part of the raft, and
everything on it, to our fort. When this was done, we made a small raft
on which we could go off to the wreck, hoping to bring away everything
of value before she went to pieces. The natives watched our proceedings
from a distance, but our fire-arms evidently kept them in awe, and
prevented them from coming nearer. As soon as they had completed the
raft, three of the whaler's