May.] TREACHERY DEFEATED. 391 



young women invited me to accompany them to the other side of the 

 island, where they said they would get me some turtle-shell and pearl- 

 shell. Before I had advanced far in the forest, however, I saw about 

 forty Indians at the distance of a quarter of a mile, armed with bows 

 and arrows ; and evincing a strong disposition to conceal themselves, 

 by skulking behind trees and brushwood. I was now fully satisfied 

 that all their pretended friendship was treachery, and immediately 

 turned for the beach, telling the chief that I wished to go to my boat 

 and get some beads and iron for him, and take the boat's crew with me 

 on the other side of the island. 



This proposition seemed to please them very much, and they all 

 turned to accompany me. I kept the chief alongside of me, with my 

 right hand on a pistol. As soon as we came within hail of the boat, I 

 found that she was lying close in at the edge of the surf, where my 

 men were waiting for me with straining eyes and anxious hearts. I 

 ordered them to back as near the surf as possible, and the moment 

 they saw me within a few feet of the water, to fire a musket over my 

 head. My orders were promptly obeyed, and the terrified natives all 

 fell to the earth. In the midst of their confusion, I dived through the 

 surf, and was soon in the boat, while the oarsmen gave way with all 

 their strength. 



We had scarcely left the beach fifty yards behind us, before it was 

 covered with about three hundred well armed warriors. I fired a musket 

 over their heads, which frightened the most of them down upon their 

 haunches ; and before they could recover a warrior's proper position, 

 we were out of bow-shot. What object they could have had in view 

 in this evidently preconcerted act of perfidy I am at a loss to know, 

 unless they thought that my death or captivity would lead to the taking 

 of the Antarctic. I am sure that my motives were correct, and Heaven 

 ever protects those who jeopard their safety for the benefit of their 

 fellow-creatures. I had always evinced the most friendly disposition 

 to this people, having supplied them with seeds of various kinds, and 

 instructed them how to plant and cultivate them. 



Having made a sufficient distance from the island, I changed the 

 course of the boat, and steered towards the south, making a signal for 

 the schooner to keep close in-shore, abreast of the boat, which could 

 be done with safety, as the water was bold to the very edge of the reef, 

 and the wind was off-shore, or from the north-east. We had not pro- 

 ceeded far, however, before we saw about one hundred canoes coming 

 towards us from all the islands. We were now reduced to this alterna- 

 tive — either to enter into " the unprofitable contest of seeing which 

 could do the other the most harm," or show them the Antarctic's stern, 

 and leave the islands thus partially examined. We adopted the most 

 humane course. 



May 16th. — On Sunday, the 16th, at six, P. M., (nautical time) we 

 left Young William's Group, and steered to the east, a little southerly, 

 with a light breeze from north-north-east, and fair weather ; and on the 

 following morning, at four, A. M., we were close in with the islands 

 of Monteverdeson's. This group, which is situated in latitude 3° 32' 

 N., long. 155° 58' E., was discovered in the Spanish frigate La Pala, 



