218 SURVEY OF THE 1NTERTR0PICAL 
1S19. sight. The report of the musquets soon brought 
Juifa. us° to the spot, and being informed of the circum- 
stance, I became alarmed for Mr. Cunningham s 
safety, who was alone on an excursion ; but as 
his route was known, Mr. Bedwell and Mr. Roe 
set off with six men to protect his return; in 
this they were fortunately successful, having met 
him about two miles off, just as he was about to 
take a path that would have led him among the 
natives ; who, had they seen him, would certainly 
have revenged themselves for their previous de- 
feat and disappointment. They met him in the 
morning as he was going out, and as they knew 
the direction in which he went they would cer- 
tainly have way-laid him. 
Nothing more was heard of the Indians during 
the day, but this rupture made us more watchful. 
A sentry was appointed on shore to protect 
the carpenters, and at night four of our people 
slept close at hand: during the day a mast-head 
watch was kept to prevent surprise, for the grass 
about us was so high that they might have ap- 
proached unperceived, and wounded some of our 
people before we could have been aware of their 
presence. 
Our work, however, proceeded without moles- 
tation, and the only inconvenience experienced 
was the confinement of Mr. Cunningham to the 
