232 ^■STORY OF 



had not an accidental mistake led the people in 

 the boat to tfijjn,. The narrative given of their 

 travels and sufferings, were the same as of other 

 similar adventurers, and added one m ore to the 

 many already^recounted to -prove: that daring 

 folly and extreme ignorance must be acting in 

 strong conjunction over the minds of those who 

 made such attempts. 



While such vagabonds were about the coun- 

 try, the safety of a& property was in danger. 

 A bull-calf of an officer was stolen from the 

 herd, and though rewards were offered no in- 

 formation transpired 



On the 14th, the Nautilus Brig, arrived from 

 the island of Otaheite, in great distress. This 

 little vessel had lost her passage to the N. W. 

 coast of America, and had been at Eamscatka, 

 the Sandwich Islands, and Otaheite. Being 

 infirm and nearly worn out, the master found it 

 impossible to repair his vessel at either of those 

 places, and had touched at Otaheite for the re- 

 freshments they required, and then endea- 

 voured to reach this port, where they hoped to 

 receive that assistance which would enable them 

 to proceed to India. 



At Otaheite they found the missionaries sent 

 from England, to propagate the Christian reli- 

 gion, were not on such a footing as they 

 expected to be with the natives, being nearly 

 shut up within their little fortress. The natives 

 had used threats, and made known an intention 

 of taking off their women. The arrival of thrs 

 Vessel in some degree relieved them from the. 



'# -v, 



