OUTANATA RIVER. 41* 
whicli Mr. Van Delden and an interjireter were also 
embarkedj iii order to open a communication ; on wliich 
the natives advanced to meet the boat, and immediately 
afterwards two of their prahus came alongside the 
'Triton,' and put a couple of natives on board, who 
came up the ship^s side with great confidence, making 
signs that they wanted some cloth, a few pieces of which 
were given to them. The boat which had been dis- 
patched to meet the prahus, returned to the ship soon 
aftervvjxrds, with four of the natives sitting verj^ com- 
fortably in it, and the prahus following; but all of a 
sudden, and without any apparent cause, the two prahus 
that were alongside started away from the ship, and the 
four natives in the boat jurai)cd overboard, and swam to 
their prahns, which then pulled towards the schooner, the 
latter vessel being at some distance from the * Triton/ 
and out of reach of ber guns. The commander of the 
* Triton' thinking that a plan had been formed to cut off 
the schooner, sent Lieutenants Tjassens and Modera with 
the barge and pinnace, fully manned and armed, to her 
assistance : but fortunately this was not required, for the 
prahus kept at a distance behind the schooner; and 
although the natives were anned, and far exceeded in 
nucibers the united crews of the schooner and the two 
boats, they appeared to have no hostile intentions. At 
length one of the prahus rowed slowly and cautiously 
alongside the * Triton,* and at the same time several 
others approached the schooner, and commenced bar- 
tering away their weapons to the crew. A hrefeze 
springing up soon afterwards, enabled the 'Iris' to make 
sail and join the ' Triton.' Both vessels now proceeded 
