object was, no doubt, to attach them as much as possible to his
person, as it must have been suggested to his guilty mind, that
however he himself might have become a misanthrope, yet there were
those around him, whose souls shuddered at the idea of being forever
exiled from their country and friends, whose hands were yet unstained
by blood, but who might yet imbrue them, for the purpose of escape
from lonely exile, and cruel tyranny.

When the foregoing message was received from Payne, Comstock commanded
his presence immediately on shore, and interrogated him, as to what he
meant by sending such a message. After considerable altercation, which
took place in the tent, Comstock was heard to say, "I helped to take
the ship, and have navigated her to this place.--I have also done all
I could to get the sails and rigging on shore, and now you may do what
you please with her; but if any man wants any thing of _me_, I'll take
a musket with him!"

"That is what I want," replied Payne, "and am ready!" This was a check
upon the murderer, who had now the offer of becoming a duellist; and
he only answered by saying, "I will go on board once more, and then
you may do as you please."

He then went on board, and after destroying the paper upon which were
recorded the "Laws," returned, went into the tent with Payne, and
putting a sword into a scabbard, exclaimed, "_this_ shall stand by me
as long as I live."

We ought not to omit to mention that during the time he was on board
the ship, he challenged the persons there, to fight him, and as he was
leaving, exclaimed "I am going to leave you; _Look out for
yourselves!_"

After obtaining from Payne permission to carry with him a cutlass, a
knife, and some hooks and lines, he took his departure, and as was
afterwards ascertained, immediately joined a gang of natives, and
endeavoured to excite them to slay Payne and his companions! At dusk
of this day he passed the tent, accompanied by about 50 of the
natives, in a direction of their village, upwards of a league distant.
Payne came on board, and after expressing apprehensions that Comstock
would persuade the natives to kill us all, picked out a number of the
crew to go on shore for the night, and stationed sentinels around the
tent, with orders to shoot any one, who should attempt to approach
without giving the countersign. The night, however, passed, without
any one's appearing; but early on the morning of the

17th Feb.; Comstoc