placed in the water, and a number of natives appeared on
the shore. The first officer at once summoned the captain on deck.

"Tell all the men to have their arms handy, Mr. Ryan," the captain said
as he looked at the gathering on shore. "I do not suppose they mean to
attack us in this open way, still we may as well be upon our guard.
Order the men not to show their arms, but to go about their work as
usual. We do not wish to appear afraid of them, or to take up a position
of hostility. I hope the chiefs are coming off for a friendly palaver."

In a few minutes the canoes put off from the shore. First came the great
canoe, which was paddled by thirty men. In the bow and stern were
hideous images. Four natives, evidently of superior rank, were seated
near the stern, and in the bow stood a man beating his hands in time to
the stroke of the paddles and singing a song, which was responded to by
a deep exclamation from the rowers at every stroke. Another man stood by
the side of the singer waving a green bough. Behind this great canoe
followed a score of smaller ones.

"We will receive them in state, Mr. Ryan. Evidently they intend to keep
up an appearance of friendliness at present. We will meet them in the
same spirit. Fasten the signal flags on to the halyards and run them up
to the masthead, let half a dozen men with cutlasses take their place at
the gangway as a sort of guard of honour, let the rest go on with their
work but keep their arms handy for action."

When the great canoe approached the vessel the men stopped paddling,
and one of the chiefs standing up made an address to the captain, who
was standing at the top of the gangway. Not a word that he said was
understood, but the address seemed to be of a friendly nature, and the
chief held up some cocoa-nuts and yams as if to show his desire to
trade. When he had finished the captain took off his hat and also spoke,
and by gestures invited the chiefs to come on board. By this time all
the passengers had come on deck, and were watching the proceedings with
great interest.

"Do you think it safe to let them on board?" the first officer asked Mr.
Atherton, who was intently watching the natives in the smaller canoes.

"Quite safe," he replied. "So long as only a few of their followers come
with them there is no fear of their attempting anything. While the
chiefs are in our hands they act, as it were, as hostages for the good
conduct of their people. So far their in