THEIR SUSPICIOUS CONDUCT AFTERWARDS. 193 



ding aspect. At len^h a live pig was brought 

 down from tbe village, slung on a pole, and was 

 purchased for a knife and a handkerchief. This was 

 a master stroke of policy, as the natives well knew 

 that it would take two of us to bear off our prize to the 

 boat, thus rendering" our little party less formidable. 

 The number of men had been gradually increasing 

 until it amounted to about thirty, all with spears. 

 They were also becoming more rude and insolent in 

 their behaviour, and seeing this I left my post on a 

 hillock, and joined Simpson to take part in the 

 expected fray. The natives were now evidently 

 bent on mischief, and we fully expected they would 

 not much longer delay making an attack, with the 

 advantage of a commanding position on a hillock 

 which we must descend to return to the boat. At 

 this crisis one of our party discovered that he had 

 lost a pistol from his belt, and attempted to recover 

 it by shewing aiiother and making signs evincing 

 great anxiety to recover the lost weapon. On this 

 there was a general movement among- the natives, 

 who began drawing back into a cluster, balancing 

 their spears and talking to each other very earnestly. 

 It being evident that the pistol had been stolen, 

 and not dropped accidentally among the grass, it 

 was also apparent that by attaching undue impor- 

 tance to its loss our safety might be supposed to 

 depend upon its possession. We then slowly com- 

 menced oiir retreat, two in advance carrying the 

 pig, and the remainder covering the retreat. Being 



VOL. I. 



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