ADDRESS. 49 



dozen stout natives, rendering any attempt to force it hopeless. 

 He saw that the ship was completely abandoned to the savages, 

 and the lives of the surviving portion of the crew entirely at their 

 mercy. Desperate as his situation seemed to be, he resolved, if 

 fall he must, not to do so without an eifort to save himself and the 

 vessel. 



The only way to reach the cabin and obtain arms, was by 

 passing down the main hatch, and removing a quantity of barrels, 

 staves, and promiscuous lumber, which was closely stowed 

 throughout the whole distance. This labour, under ordinary cir- 

 cumstances, would have required hours ; but it was the last resort. 

 His plan was formed on the instant. Dropping his spade, he 

 sprang over and through the astonished savages, with an impetu- 

 osity not to be resisted, secured his way to the hatch. True 

 to his purpose, he leaped down, and commenced cutting his 

 way through to the cabin. His mental energies must have added 

 greatly to his strength. The work was accomplished in a very 

 short space of time ; when, having removed and staved barrels 

 and boxes, he pushed aside all obstacles, and entered the steerage, 

 or forward cabin. Here was a man who had been for several 

 weeks confined by sickness. Mr. Jones seized his own, pistols, 

 and placed 'them in the hands of the invalid, directing him to 

 guard the gangway while he stove a hole through the cabin door, 

 which was locked, large enough to admit him, and secured the 

 guns. Here he was detained in collecting ammunition, fixing 

 flints, and loading. He soon prepared himself : his first shot up 

 the gangway took effect, and the song of victory, which the sav 

 ages had begun, was changed into a sound of wailing. The report 

 of the gun to those concealed, and the fall of an enemy to those 

 aloft, appeared like a call to the rescue. Jones continued to load 

 and fire as quickly as possible ; and his shots, though many of 

 them at random, did much execution, especially in the canoes. 



which, as they approached the stern, were exposed to his fire from 

 C 7 



