THEIR SUSPICIOUS CONDUCT. 231 



the natives made their appearance round the point, 

 coming' up in strag'g'ling- order. One in advance of 

 the rest came along* at a rapid pace with his spear 

 poised, and pointed it at the nearest of our party, 

 when within a few yards of him^ with what intention 

 I do not presume to say, — but the natives were evi- 

 dently in a state of g-reat excitement. As they 

 mig'ht erroneously have supposed that we had been 

 making" free with their cocoa-nuts and yams^ some 

 g-rass which had been cut for the sheep on board 

 was taken out of the bag* and shewn them as being- 

 intended for our hoho (pig's)— which they appeared 

 to understand. The one among- them w^ho had 

 yesterday made the allusion to Joannet Island 

 pointed to our g-uns, talking- at the same time with 

 g-reat energ-y, and making- sig-ns as if wishing- to see 

 the use of a weapon of whose wonderful effects he 

 had lately heard. As many swallows were flying- 

 about, I told Wilcox, — probably the best shot of the 

 party— to shoot one, which was done cleverly, and 

 the bird fell at our feet. The indications of surprise 

 were not so g-reat as I expected to have seen exhi- 

 bited, but after several more shots had been fired, 

 some with ball along* the w^ater, a few of the natives 

 be2*an to shew sio-ns of uneasiness and sneaked 

 away. Old Wadai, however (perhaps feeling- per- 

 fectly secure under the shelter of his perfect in- 

 sig*nificance), and one or two others sat doAvn under 

 a tree beside us, apparently unconcerned, and some 



