66 MEMOIR OF DRURY. 



my life ; for the vessel that I went in was stranded 

 on the beach, on Point Venus, where she was en- 

 tirely lost in a heavy gale of wind which lasted five 

 days; and that was not the only misfortune, for 

 after we got on shore we had the natives to fight, 

 for they were at war with the party who were our 

 friends. So that for the nine months that we were 

 on the island, we were continually alarmed with 

 the dreadful ideas of our having our throats cut ; 

 and I have not the least doubt but we should have 

 been all massacred, and the mission entirely de- 

 stroyed, or at least forced to fly to the other island 

 at the risk of being drowned, only for a few of us 

 who well knew the use of fire-arms. As for those 

 dastards called missionaries, they would have run 

 and, hid themselves rather than fight and protect 

 their property, wives, &c." It is very likely that 

 in this matter Drury himself, who had evidently 

 formed high expectations, was as much disappointed 

 as any of his agents ; at all events, we find no inti- 

 mation in his books and memoranda of any success 

 resulting from his exertions. The attention he paid 

 to the subject led him to draw up and publish a 

 pamphlet containing instructions for collecting mi- 

 nerals and precious stones, describing their various 

 appearances in a rough state, the places where they 

 are most likely to be found, &c., which furnishes a 

 number of very useful suggestions. 



In 1797> Drury removed from Broxboume to 

 Turnham Green, near Brentford, Middlesex, where 

 he continued to reside until near the time of his 



