68 
propriety say, distressing ? Surround¬ 
ed by a horde of savages, brandishing 
their war clubs and javelins, our more 
than savage commanders, (Payne and 
Oliver) in anxious suspense as to the 
result of their negociations with them ; 
no refuge from either foe, and what con¬ 
tributed not a little to our unhappiness, 
was a consciousness of being innocent 
of having in the least manner wilful- 
ly aided the destroyers of the lives of 
our officers, and the authors of our now,, 
truly unhappy situation. 
The natives now began to help them¬ 
selves to whatever articles suited them, 
and when some of them began to pull 
the tent down, an old man and his wife 
took hold of me, and after conducting 
me a few rods from the tent, sat down, 
keeping fast hold of my hands. Under 
the most fearful apprehensions I en¬ 
deavoured to get from them, but they 
insisted upon detaining me. I endeav¬ 
oured to console myself with the idea, 
that gratitude had prompted them to* 
take care of me, as I had frequently t&- 
