AN ATTACK THREATENED. 267 
long speeches to, or at us, accompanied by angry 
and menacing gestures, which drew shouts of 
laughter from their companions. At length the 
screaming and threatening with clubs and dou- 
bled fists became general. They began to make 
formal preparations for an attack, and we again 
had recourse to bayonets and lances to keep 
them at a distance. I confess that, at this mo- 
ment, I had need of some self-command to over- 
come my inclination to revenge on the ferocious 
rabble the fate of La Pérouse’s companions. 
Our guns and muskets were all ready loaded. 
A sign from me would have spread dismay and 
death around us; and had we stayed longer 
among this brutal race, we must inevitably have 
made them feel the power of our cannon. 
We therefore spread our sails, and the ship 
running swiftly before the wind, many of the 
canoes which had fastened themselves about her 
were suddenly upset. ‘Those who fell into the 
water took their ducking very coolly, righted 
their canoes again, and threatened revenge on 
us with the most violent gestures. Several of 
them clung like cats to the sides of the ship, 
with nails which might have rivalled those of a 
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