leet of fifty
canoes appeared ahead, with flags of all nations, among which the Union
Jack was most conspicuous. All the people were dressed in European
clothes, with the exception of trousers, which the chiefs alone are
allowed to wear.

Lander, overjoyed by the sight, supposing that they must be friends,
approached without fear, when a huge man of most forbidding countenance
beckoned him to come on board his canoe. The next instant the sound of
drums was heard, and several men levelled their muskets at the
traveller. In addition to the muskets, each canoe had a long four or
six-pounder in its bow, besides which the crews were armed with swords
and boarding-pikes. In an instant their luggage was transferred to the
canoes of their opponents, while some of them seized Pasco's wife, and
were dragging her out of the canoe. On this Lander, calling to his men
to assist him, determined to sell his life as dearly as he could; and,
having dragged back Pasco's wife, they fought so determinedly that they
were able to effect their escape. None of the other canoes had
interfered, and, seeing that which had plundered them making its way to
the market, Lander pulled after her as fast as he could go, in the hopes
of recovering their property. On their way they encountered another
canoe, in which a person, apparently of consequence, hailed them with
the words: "Hilloa, white man! You French; you English?"

"English," answered Lander. "Come here in my canoe," was the reply.
Lander accordingly got into his canoe, while the chief put three men
into Lander's that they might assist in pulling to the market. He at
once treated Lander with great kindness and promised him every
assistance in his power.

Soon after this, what was Richard Lander's dismay to see the canoe of
which his brother John had command followed by the villains who had
attacked him, capsized, and sunk, while their luggage went to the
bottom--his brother and crew being left struggling in the water.
Richard was on the point of leaping in to help him, when he saw him
dragged into another canoe, the other men swimming on shore. It was
some time before he was able to reach him, when, with their new friend,
they repaired to the market. Here they found a number of Damuggoo
people and others who sided with them, and a Mahommedan from Funda urged
them to keep up their spirits, and that all would be made right. Search
was then commenced for their property. One of the