FRIENDLY ISLANDS AND NEW HEBRIDES i6i 



reached the shore after the boats had left. He 

 therefore made a bargain with the owner of a 

 canoe, who promised to take him on board the 

 ship. At the moment when he stepped into the 

 canoe a number of natives ran up. They hurled 

 themselves upon him and seized his gun. Then 

 they took nearly all the ducks which he had shot, 

 and prevented him from leaving, sending away 

 the canoe. The unfortunate doctor climbed on 

 to a rock, from whence he hoped to be seen by 

 those in the ship, but the robbers, whose audacity 

 was increasing, followed him and took away his 

 cravat and handkerchief. They were beginning 

 to take away his clothes, when Patten, who began 

 to fear for his life, searched his pockets for a 

 knife or something with which he could defend 

 himself. He found nothing but a case of tooth- 

 picks. He opened it and with a threatening 

 gesture pointed it at his assailants. The latter, 

 seeing that it was hollow, took it for some sort 

 of fire-arm, and fell back. Suddenly a young 

 woman of remarkable beauty detached herself 

 from the crowd which had gathered on the beach 

 to look on. Her long hair floated in ringlets on 

 her breast, and her face had great sweetness and 

 expression. She approached the doctor, who 

 seemed overcome with weariness, and with a 

 gracious gesture offered him a piece of shad- 

 dock. The bandits made off, and the girl sat 



