returning homeward in his canoe, after having been out three days, he espied a sail in the westward.horizon, just as the sun had descended below it; this heart-cheering sight no sooner caught his attention than he pointed it out to the three men in the canoe with him (his servants that worked on his plantation), and desired them to paddle him on board, holding out to them what an advantageous opportunity now offered itself to enrich themselves with beads, axes, looking-glasses, &c.; an opportunity which they might never again meet with: to this they replied, that they had seen her before, but that their fear of his wishing to go on board prevented them from pointing her out to him, for they had often heard their chiefs say, that they never meant to let him go if they could help it; and hence they were apprehensive that their brains would be knocked out, if they suffered him to escape. Mr. Mariner then condescended to entreat them to pull towards the vessel, promising them very rich rewards. After conversing together, and muttering something between themselves, they told Mr. Mariner, that, notwithstanding the esteem and respect they had for him, they owed it as a duty to their chiefs to refuse his request; and, upon this, they VOL. II. began to paddle towards the nearest shore. Mr. Mariner instantly demanded, in an ele våted tone of voice, why they talked about the fear of chiefs; were they not his servants, and had he not a right to act with them as he pleased? He then took in his hand his musket from behind him, when the man who sat next immediately declared, that, if he made any resistance, he would die in opposing him, rather than allow him to escape: upon this, Mr. Mariner summoned up all his strength, and struck him a most violent blow, or rather stab, near the loins, with the muzzle of the piece, exclaiming at the same time," Ta gi ho Hotooa, "co ho mate e*." This lunge produced a dangerous wound, for the musket, being a very old one, had grown quite sharp at the muzzle, and was, besides, impelled by the uncommon force with which, inspired by the prospect of escape, he felt himself animated: the man immediately fell flat in the bottom of the canoe, senseless, and scarcely with a groant. Mr. * Meaning, literally, "Strike your Hotooa, there's your "death!" which are forms of energetic expressions, used like oaths, on extraordinary occasions, calculated to express vengeance. This man, whose name was Teoo Fononga, well deserved the fate he met with: he used to beat his wife unmer. Mariner instantly pulled his legs out straight:: he then presented his musket to the other two, who appeared somewhat panic-struck, and threatened to blow out their brains if they did not instantly obey his orders, and pull towards the vessel. They accordingly put about, and made towards her. The one that Mr. Mariner wounded was a piece of a warrior, but the other two had never been in battle, and, as he supposes, did not know, but what he could fire off his musket as often as he pleased without loading it be this as it may, they were now perfectly obedient, and he encouraged them farther, by reminding them that they had a good excuse to make to their chiefs, since it was by compulsion, and not by will, that they acted. In the mean time, he kept a strict eye both upon them and the man in the bottom of the canoe; upon those, lest they should take an opportunity to upset the canoe, and swim to the shore, with which they were well acquainted, and upon this, lest he cifully, for which Mr. Mariner had frequently knocked him down with a club: he formerly had a wife who, in time of scarcity, he killed and ate: since that time having several children, more than he wished, he killed a couple of them to get them out of the way. His best quality was being an excellent fisherman, and a very hard-working fellow. . should recover and attempt the same thing, or else make an unexpected attack: fortunately he did not stir the whole night*. They did not come up with the vessel till about daylight next morning, owing to the distance they had to go, for they were about four miles off the north-west part of Vavaoo, and the ship bore west-south-west, about five miles distant, steering under easy sail, to the south end of that island besides which, they were much fatigued with having pulled about the whole day against a heavy sea, and were short of any provisions, except raw fish. During the whole night, the man in the bottom of the canoe lay perfectly still, and shewed no signs of life, except a slight gurgling noise in his throat, which was heard now and then. As soon as the canoe pulled up along side the brig, Mr. Mariner, without stopping to hail, on the impulse of the moment, jumped up into the main chains, and had liked to have been knocked overboard by the centinel, who took him for a native, for his skin was grown very brown, * It may be remarked, also, that this was the season for sharks, and their consciences, probably, were not quite clear from having infringed some prohibition or another, in consequence of which, according to their notions, they were liable to be devoured by sharks. his hair very long, and tied up in a knot, with a turban round the head, and an apron of the leaves of the chi tree round his waist: this disguise would have warranted the conduct of the centinel, but, as soon as Mr. Mariner spoke English, and told him he was an Englishman, he allowed him to come on deck, where he addressed the captain, who cordially shook hands with him. The latter had heard from the captain of a schooner the whole unfortunate affair of the Port au Prince; for the schooner brought away two men from one of these islands during the time that Mr. Mariner was in another quarter, upon some business for Finow. The captain presented him with a pair of trowsers and a shirt; the latter, it must be said, was neither very new nor very clean; in consequence, he took the pains to wash it, and hang it up in the rigging to dry: in the morn. ing, however, it had disappeared, at the honest instigation of somebody; hence, his whole stock of apparel consisted of the said pair of trowsers; nor did he get better provided till he arrived in China, about seven weeks afterwards. But to return to the subject: the brig proved to be the Favourite, Captain Fisk, from Port Jackson, about 130 tons burthen; had on |