282 VOYAGE TO THE 



one of their double canoes to Tiokea, where they 

 found the Dragon, an English brig, taking in pearl 

 1826.' shells. These people behaved in a very friend- 

 ly manner to her crew, and allowed her quietly 

 to take her cargo on board ; but the Dragon was 

 no sooner ready to put to sea, than several of the 

 islanders went on board with the ostensible purpose 

 of taking leave, but suddenly possessed themselves 

 of the vessel, overpowering the master and crew, 

 binding their hands, and sending them on shore as 

 prisoners. A general plunder of the vessel ensued, 

 in which every thing moveable was carried away. 

 The natives, after this atrocious act, went to church 

 to return thanks for their victory, and to render their 

 prayers more acceptable, transferred the bell of the 

 ship to their place of worship. During several days 

 they detained the master bound hand and foot, and 

 debated whether he should not be put to death and 

 eaten ; a fate which we were informed he would in 

 all probability have encountered but for the inter- 

 ference of one of their chiefs, for the Tiokeans are 

 still reputed to be cannibals, notwithstanding they 

 have embraced the christian religion. The crew, 

 more fortunate than their commander, very soon 

 obtained their release, upon condition of fitting the 

 brig for sea, the natives imagining they could navi- 

 gate her themselves. The vessel being ready, the 

 master, under some pretext, obtained permission to 

 go on board, and having speedily established an un- 

 derstanding with his crew, he cut the cables and 

 carried her out to sea. 



The stolen property was of course never recovered, 

 and the vessel was so plundered of her stores that the 

 object of her voyage was lost. When she reached 



