44 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES 
over the vessel's side into their canoes. In the midst of 
the confusion^ and the retreat of the natives^ the dog, which 
had hitherto slunk into his kennel, recovered his usual 
boldness, and not only increased the consternation by his 
barking, but severely tore the leg of one of the fugitives 
who was hastening out of the ship, near the spot to which 
he was chained. The decks were now cleared, but as 
many of the people still hung upon the shrouds and 
about the chains 5 the sailors drew the long knives with 
which, when among the islands, they were furnished, 
and by menacing gestures, without wounding any, 
succeeded in detaching them altogether from the ship. 
Some of them seemed quite unconscious of the keenness 
of the knife, and, I believe, had their hands deeply cut by 
snatching or grasping at the blade. A proposal was now 
made to entice or admit some on board, and take two of 
them to Tahiti, that the Missionaries there might become 
acquainted with their language, gain a knowledge of the 
productions of their island, impart unto them Christian 
instruction, and thus prepare the way for the introduction 
of Christianity among their countrymen, as well as open 
a channel for commercial intercourse. Our captain offer¬ 
ed to bring them to their native island again, on his 
return from the Marquesas; and, could their consent have 
been by any means obtained, I should, without hesitation, 
have acceded to the plan; but, as we had no means of 
effecting this object, I did not conceive it right to take 
them by force from their native island. 
On a former voyage, about two years before this period. 
Captain Powel had been becalmed near the shores of 
this island. Many of the natives came off in their canoes, 
but did not venture on board; perceiving, however, a 
hawser hanging out of the stern of the ship, about fifty of 
