WHALING VOYAGE. 
possible, busied himself in finding some place on the 
shore fit for landing, and it was not long before we dis- 
covered a narrow creek, into which the boat was steered ; 
but when we arrived at about twenty yards from the 
beach, several of the most powerful of the islanders 
plunged headlong from the rocks into the surf, dived 
through its turbulence, and were quickly by the side of 
our boat, to which they held,-— their large features vari- 
ously contorted, and uttering a language with great 
velocity, of which I knew nothing. I was several times 
apprehensive that they would upset the boat with their 
violence ; but of this the mate informed me there was 
no fear, for they are so dexterous in the water that 
that they can do almost as they please in it 4 With the 
greatest possible ease and precision we were soon pro- 
pelled by these men safely through the surf into the 
creek, and then a general scramble ensued among the 
people on the shore to lay hold of the boat,— men, 
women, and young girls, all pressing forward to assist,— 
as it was, they seized the boat, and lifted her completely 
out of the water, with all of us still remaining in her, 
and carried us a considerable distance up the beach, 
and placed us upon the grass in the centre of a great 
number of people, who nearly suffocated us with their 
44 aroyahs ” or greetings. Never shall I forget the 
curious scene ! they pressed so abruptly upon us that it 
was a considerable time before we could get out of the 
boat ; but at length we did so, and looked round on the 
remarkable scene— the mate soon commenced a brisk 
trade with them, giving them knives and scissars, for pigs 5 
