May.J 



SAVAGE DISSIMULATION. 



407 



It being now about twelve o'clock, I invited Nero, Henneen, and the 

 rest of the principal chiefs to accompany me on board, and take din- 

 ner with me. This invitation was accepted by all but Henneen, who 

 made some trifling excuse. I attached no importance to this circum- 

 stance, however, and we went on board, leaving two men to guard 

 the forge and take care of the tools. On reaching the vessel's side, 

 Nero and his chiefs were handed on board, and entertained with our 

 usual cordiality. They now went to all parts of the vessel, without 

 betraying any apprehensions of danger; admiring each object that 

 came in their way, and evincing a great desire to become acquainted 

 with the causes and principles of every thing. 



The deck guns, being large bodies of iron, still excited a great deal 

 of curiosity in them ; and they expressed much anxiety to know why 

 they were hollow. I could not well satisfy them on this subject with- 

 out discharging one of the pieces ; and this I concluded would alarm 

 them to such a degree as to cause great trouble in regaining their 

 confidence. It was therefore thought best to let them remain in igno- 

 rance on this particular point. A practical illustration of the mystery 

 was much nearer at hand than either party anticipated. 



After enjoying a hearty dinner, with no lack of courtesy and hos- 

 pitality on my part, we all returned to the scene of industry on the 

 island. The moment we landed, I was informed that another theft had 

 been committed during my absence, of two axes and a hatchet ; and 

 that there was incontrovertible testimony that this act of perfidy had 

 been countenanced, if not encouraged, by Henneen himself. I there- 

 fore applied to Nero ; but the moment I met him, I plainly perceived 

 that there was an understanding between himself and the treacherous 

 chief. I nevertheless very civilly made my complaint, and requested 

 the stolen articles to be immediately returned. Instead of any attempt 

 at apology or conciliation, the negro king flew into a violent pas- 

 sion, and gave me to understand that he should take no farther trouble 

 about the matter. I then turned to Henneen, from whom I received 

 the same kind of answer. 



I was now convinced that if we suffered this act of perfidy to pass 

 unnoticed, all our prospects of a successful voyage at these islands 

 would be annihilated at once ; I therefore determined to recover the 

 things if possible; "peaceably, if I could — forcibly, if I must." In 

 pursuance of this resolution, we returned on board the Antarctic, armed 

 six of the crew, besides myself, with muskets, pistols, and cutlasses ; 

 and then pulled in to the beach, immediately abreast of the village ; 

 with the full determination, either to recover the stolen articles, or to 

 secure the person of Henneen, and detain him on board the Antarctic, 

 as a hostage or security for their forthcoming. 



We had scarcely landed, when we were met on the beach by four 

 of the natives, unarmed, who offered to conduct me to the village 

 where Henneen resided, which was beautifully situated in the centre 

 of a grove of cocoanut and rutt-stiller trees, of a majestie size. I 

 accepted the offer, and we followed our guides to the village. But 

 what was our astonishment, on emerging from the thicket, through a 

 narrow path, into the skirts of the village, to behold, directly in front 



