violence on the coral barriers enclosing the
placid lagoon, a canoe shot out from the beach a quarter of a mile away,
and approached the ship. But four natives were in the tiny craft, and
when within a cable-length of the brigantine they ceased paddling, and
conversed volubly with one another, as if debating whether they should
venture on board the strange ship or not. Paddles in hand, they regarded
her with the most intense curiosity as a being from another world; and
when, the ship bringing up to the wind, the anchor was let go, a loud
cry of astonishment burst forth from them, and with a swift backward
sweep of their paddles the canoe shot shorewards like an arrow from a
bow full fifty feet astern.

Clambering out on the end of the jib-boom, Upaparu seized hold of a
stay and hailed them in a semi-Tahitian dialect, the _lingua franca_ of
Eastern Polynesia--

"_Ia ora na kotore teie nei aho!_" ("May you have peace this day!"), and
then, bidding them await him, he sprang overboard and swam to them. In
a few minutes he was alongside the canoe, holding on the gunwale and
holding an animated conversation with its crew, one of whom, evidently
the leader, at last bent down and rubbed noses with the Tahitian in
token of amity. Then they paddled alongside, and after some hesitation
clambered up on deck.

Tall and finely made, with light copper-coloured skins deeply tattooed
from their necks to their heels, and holding in their hands wooden
daggers set on both edges with huge sharks'-teeth as keen as razors,
they surveyed the vessel and her crew with looks of astonishment. Except
for a narrow girdle of curiously-stained pandanus leaves, each man was
nude, and their stiff, scanty, and wiry-looking beards seemed to quiver
with excitement as they looked with lightning-like rapidity from one
object to another.

Advancing to them with his hand outstretched, the master of the
brigantine took the leader's hand in his, and pointed to the poop, and
Upaparu told them that the white chief desired them to sit and talk with
him. Still grasping their daggers they acceded, and followed Shelley and
the Tahitian chief to the poop, seated themselves on the deck, while the
crew of the brigantine, in order not to embarrass or alarm them, went
about their work as if no strangers were present.

In a very short time Upaparu had so far gained their confidence that
they began to talk volubly, and answered all the questions he put to
them. "Pearl