112 JOHN ADAMS. 
form a topic of honourable mention at this 
very time. 
Much of Adams's trouble and' anxiety in 
former years naturally arose from the fear of 
being discovered and taken. In May 1795 
he, and his brother-mutineers, having ob- 
served a ship nearing the island, in their 
terror hid themselves in the bush. Having 
cautiously left their place of concealment, 
they found a knife by the sea-side, and a few 
cocoa-nut shells, proving that some persons 
had landed. The visitors, however, it would 
seem, had not noticed any signs of houses, 
and had therefore proceeded on their voyage. 
