OF LA PEROUSE. 163 



deck. Immediately a negro, whom we had 

 taken on board at Amboyna, purfued him with 

 a pike which he held in his hand, but fortu- 

 nately did not get at him. 



The fury of thefe barbarians was not yet 

 fatiated. A foldier, by birth a German, whom 

 we had alfo taken on board at Amboyna, per- 

 ceiving the daughter of the unfortunate chief, 

 who had hid herfelf in the bottom of the canoe, 

 had already lifted his fabretocutherdown; when 

 Citizen Avignon, a gunner belonging to the 

 Recherche, held the arm of this madman. He 

 threw himfelf between the foldier and the 

 poor girl, whofe mother was net long in reach- 

 ing the beach, all in tears for the lofs of her 

 hufband. The young girl wept loudly for her 

 father, and Vve fav/ her ilrike herfelf violently 

 on the cheek and the bread with her fiif. 



We retained, as hofbages, the fon of the 

 King, and Titifa, chief of the Ifiand of Pangai- 

 matoo ; but we remarked, with great concern, 

 the dejec^lion into which this detention threw 

 the King's fon, whom v/e had often feen com- 

 mand, with fo much haughtinefs, his father's 

 fubjefts : he repeated frequently that he was 

 our friend, nnd was defirous of foUovving us to 

 France, Tilifa^ on the contrary, did not betray 

 the fmallefl: fear. 



Thefe two chiefs palTcd the night in the great 

 M X cabin 



