92 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



of the rum keg. It was done as commanded; 

 no further difficulty, therefore, could arise from 

 this source. 



Self-preservation prompted to this ; but in a 

 multitude of instances no less striking, where 

 property, reputation, and even life itself are con- 

 cerned, a like decision, to knock in the head of 

 the rum keg, or break jugs and bottles, and pour 

 the source of evil upon the ground, would be 

 highly commendable, and fraught with the most 

 happy results. 



In due time we reached the wreck, and, as 

 was expected, the natives began to search for 

 spirits ; but for their advantage, as well as ours, 

 they found none. They sought every where for 

 it, ransacked every nook and corner, hauled over 

 wreck stuff, looked into barrels, knocked to pieces 

 oil casks, &c, to find it, but all in vain. 



It appeared, furthermore, as if the natives sup- 

 posed they had a right to whatever they could 

 lay their hands upon, and what they found among 

 the wreck, or on shore, was a lawful prize. Sev- 

 eral pieces of white and blue cotton cloth had 

 washed ashore since the wreck was last visited ; 

 these the natives appropriated to their own use. 

 A slate was found, and upon it we wrote the 

 name of the ship, her captain, and where the 

 crew could be found, and placed it in a promi- 



