88 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



time to be lost towards completing such an ar- 

 rangement as this. 



One of the first things which we did, was to 

 make known our wants to the head man of the 

 settlement. So far as we were able, we con- 

 versed with him by signs, and thus endeavored 

 to explain to him what we wished to do. He 

 gave us to understand that it was impossible for 

 us to travel down to East Cape this season of 

 the year, and that the distance to the cape was 

 very great, and it was therefore impossible to get 

 there. 



Not knowing our precise locality upon the 

 coast, we could not tell whether the cape was 

 three or five hundred miles from us. We con- 

 cluded it would be safer to remain where we 

 were than to venture upon such an uncertainty. 

 It was afterwards ascertained that we were dis- 

 tant from East Cape about two hundred and 

 fifty miles. 



The head man gave us to understand, in his 

 way, that there was a very great river to cross 

 before we could get to East Cape, and that it 

 could not be crossed now ; and still further, if we 

 should perish on the way, great ships (laloutout- 

 lines) would come, kill him, and destroy all their 

 huts. 



On the whole, we judged that it was the de- 



