212 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
Indians seem to enter into some dispute relative to the casks. 
By and by they all take leave, intimating by signs that they 
will return with the next sun. The Padre and the crew grow 
apprehensive. What do the Indians mean 1 It cannot be 
known. But being late, they go on board, and wait the 
event. Night comes on; but no hostile savages break its 
silence. With the early morning, however, the dreaded sava¬ 
ges are seen returning in troops, with rush buckets filled with 
water; the men with two, and the women one each. The 
faithful creatures, understanding the want implied by the empty 
casks, have visited their mountain springs during the night, 
and now rejoice to pour their crystal treasures into the good 
Padre’s vessels. Repaying their kindness as liberally as his 
small means will permit, he undertakes to visit their kinsmen 
on a neighboring island. The pinnace and bilander are pi¬ 
loted by two of these Indians. A small party in a canoe row 
in advance of the ships, during the night. At dawn they are 
in a narrow channel full of rocks and sand spits; and notwith¬ 
standing their precautions, the bilander grounds on a shoal 
and requires all the efforts of her crew for some hours to get 
her off. 
This period of anxiety over, another begins; for now the 
canoe and pinnace have disappeared. The bilander therefore 
goes on, though dangers beset her on every side, and after 
three days of tacking and sounding, reaches a tortuous chan¬ 
nel leading into a large bay. In this lie the pinnace and 
canoe near the island they are seeking. Thither they direct 
their course without more difficulties or delays. As they ap¬ 
proach, the natives appear on the shore, armed and shouting 
with the intention of intimidating the strangers. But their 
countrymen swimming ashore in advance, inform them that 
Padre Salva Tierra’s brother is come in the ship to see 
them. Hearing this, they lay down their arms and express 
the liveliest sentiments of joy. The bilander having dropped 
her anchor, the Padre is earnestly solicited to go on shore 
But being attacked with the most excruciating pains through- 
