178 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



of a benignant Providence, which has protected 

 us until the present hour. 



Having arrived at East Cape, we were re- 

 ceived by the natives with the most cordial wel- 

 come. They had heard before we came that a 

 company of shipwrecked mariners was on their 

 way down the coast ; and, still further, the report 

 of the wreck, and the uncommon circumstance 

 of so great a number of men having lived with 

 the natives for so many months, had even ex- 

 tended several hundred miles south of East Cape. 



The natives in this settlement expressed great 

 joy in seeing Captain Norton, whom they had 

 known before, and with whom they had traded. 



Arrangements were made by the head man of 

 the settlement to provide for all the company as 

 they should come along, in small parties, from 

 time to time. 



Here, also, we were provided with some new 

 native clothes, such as coats and pants, mocca- 

 sons and caps. 



