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But her command removed, to strengthen more The skiff which wafted Christian from the shore. This he would have opposed; but with a smile She pointed calmnly to the craggy isle,

Was as a native's of the element,

So smoothly, bravely, brilliantly she went,
Leaving a streak of light behind her heel,
Which struck and flash'd like an amphibious steel.

And bade him "speed and prosper." She would take Closely, and scarcely less expert to trace

The rest upon herself for Torquil's sake.
They parted with this added aid; afar
The proa darted like a shooting star,

And gain'd on the pursuers, who now steer'd

Right on the rock which she and Torquil near'd.
They pull'd; her arm, though delicate, was free
And firm as ever grappled with the sea,
And yielded scarce to Torquil's manlier strength.
The prow now almost lay within its length
Of the crag's steep, inexorable face,

With naught but soundless waters for its base;
Within a hundred boats' length was the foe,
And now what refuge but their frail canoe?
This Torquil ask'd with half upbraiding eye,
Which said" Has Neuha brought me here to die?
Is this a place of safety, or a grave,
And yon huge rock the tombstone of the wave?"

IV.

They rested on their paddles, and uprose
Neuha, and pointing to the approaching foes,
Cried, "Torquil, follow me, and fearless follow!"
Then plunged at once into the ocean's hollow.
There was no time to pause-the foes were near-
Chains in his eyes, and menace, in his ear;
With vigour they pull'd on, and as they came,
Hail'd him to yield, and by his forfeit name.
Headlong he leapt to him the swimmer's skill
Was native, and now all his hope from ill:
But how, or where? He dived, and rose no more;
The boat's crew look'd amazed o'er sea and shore.
There was no landing on that precipice,
Steep, harsh, and slippery as a berg of ice.
They watch'd awhile to see him float again,
But not a trace rebubbled from the main:
The wave roll'd on, no ripple on its face,
Since their first plunge recall'd a single trace;
The little whirl which eddied, and slight foam,
That whiten'd o'er what seem'd their latest home,
White as a sepulchre above the pair

Who left no marble (mournful as an heir)
The quiet proa wavering o'er the tide
Was all that told of Torquil and his bride;
And but for this alone the whole might seem
The vanish'd phantom of a seaman's dream.
They paused and search'd in vain, then pull'd away;
Even superstition now forbade their stay.
Some said he had not plung'd into the wave,
But vanish'd like a corpse-light from a grave;
Others, that something supernatural
Glared in his figure, more than mortal tall;
While all agreed that in his cheek and eye
There was a dead hue of eternity.

Still as their oars receded from the crag,
Round every weed a moment would they lag,
Expectant of some token of their prey;

But no-he had melted from them like the spray.

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The depths where divers hold their pearl in chase,
Torquil, the nursling of the northern seas,
Pursued her liquid steps with heart and ease.
Deep-deeper for an instant Neuha led

The way-then upward soar'd-and as she spread
Her arms, and flung the foam from off her locks,
Laugh'd, and the sound was answer'd by the rocks
They had gain'd a central realm of earth again,
But look'd for tree, and field, and sky, in vain.
Around she pointed to a spacious cave,
Whose only portal was the keyless wave,*
(A hollow archway by the sun unseen,
Save through the billows' glassy veil of green.
In some transparent ocean holiday,
When all the fiuny people are at play,)
Wiped with her hair the brine from Torquil's eyes,
And clapp'd her hands with joy at his surprise;
Led him to where the rock appear'd to jut,
And form a something like a Triton 's hut;
For all was darkness for a space, till day
Through clefts above let in a sober'd ray;
As in some old cathedral's glimmering aisle
The dusty monuments from light recoil,
Thus sadly in their refuge submarine
The vault drew half her shadow from the scer.c.
VII.

Forth from her bosom the young savage drew
A pine torch, strongly girded with gnatoo;
A plantain-leaf o'er all, the more to keep
Its latent sparkle from the sapping deep.
This mantle kept it dry; then from a nook
Of the same plantain-leaf a flint she took, ⚫
A few shrunk wither'd twigs, and from the blade
Of Torquil's knife struck fire, and thus array'a
The grot with torchlight. Wide it was and ".
And show'd a self born Gothic canopy;
The arch uprear'd by nature's architect,
The architrave some earthquake might erect:
The buttress from some mountain's bosom huri'd,
When the Poles crash'd, and water was the worla
Or harden'd from some earth-aboding fire
While yet the globe reek'd from its funeral pyre;
The fretted pinnacle, the aisle, the nave,f
Were there, all scoop'd by Darkness from her cave.
There, with a little tinge of phantasy,
Fantastic faces mop'd and mow'd on high,
And then a mitre or a shrine would fix
The eye upon its seeming crucifix.
Thus Nature play'd with the stalactites,
And built herself a chapel of the seas.

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Of this cave (which is no fiction) the original will be found in the ninth chapter of "Mariner's Account of the Tonga Islands." I have taken the poetical liberty to transplant it to Toobonai, the last jala-d where any distinct account is left of Christian and his comrades.

This may seem too minute for the general outline (in Mariner's Account) from which it is taken. But few men have travelled without seeing something of the kind-on land, that is. Without adverting to Ellora, in Mungo Park's last Journal (if my memory do not err, for there are eight years since I read the book) he mentions having met with rock or mountain so exactly resembling a Gothic cathedral, that or iy minute inspection could convince him that it was a work of nature.

With its broad leaf, or turtle-shell which bore
A banquet in the flesh it cover'd o'er;
The goui A with water recent from the rill,
The ripe banana from the mellow hill;
A pine-torch pile to keep undying light,
And sho herself, as beautiful as night,
To fling her shadowy spirit o'er the scene,
And make their subterranean world serene.
She had foreseen, since first the stranger's sail
Drew to their isle, that force or flight might fail,
And form'd a refuge of the rocky den
For Torquil's safety from his countrymen.
Each dawn had wafted there her light canoe,
Laden with all the golden fruits that grew;
Each eve had seen her gliding through the hour
With all could cheer or deck their sparry bower;
And now she spread her little store with smiles,
The happiest daughter of the loving isles.

IX.

She, as he gazed with grateful wonder, press'd
Her shelter'd love to her impassion'd breast;
And suited to her soft caresses, told
An olden tale of love,-for love is old,
Old as eternity, but not outworn
With each new being born or to be born:*
How a young chief, a thousand moons ago,
Diving for turtle in the depths below,
Had risen, in tracking fast his ocean prey,
Into the cave which round and o'er them lay;
How in some desperate fued of after time
He shelter'd there a daughter of the clime,
A foe beloved, and offspring of a foe,
Saved by his tribe but for a captive's wo;
How, when the storm of war was still'd, he led
His island clan to where the waters spread
Their deep-green shadow o'er the rocky door
Then dived it seem'd as if to rise no more:
His wondering mates, amazed within their bark,
Or deem'd him mad, or prey to the blue shark;
Row'd down in sorrow the sea-girded rock,
Then paused upon their paddles from the shock;
When, fresh and springing from the deep, they saw
A goddess rise-so deem'd they in their awe;
And their companion, glorious by her side,
Proud and exulting in his mermaid bride;
And how, when undeceived, the pair they bore
With sounding conchs and joyous shouts to shore;
How they had gladly lived and calmly died,—
And why not also Torquil and his bride?
Not mine to tell the rapturous caress
Which follow'd wildly in that wild recess.
This tale; enough that all within that cave
Was love, though buried strong as it the grave
Where Abelard, through twenty years of death,
When Eloisa's form was lower'd beneath
Their nuptial vault, his arms outstretch'd, and press'd
The kindling ashes to his kindled breast.†
The waves without sang round their couch, their roar
As much unheeded as if life were o'er;
Within, their hearts made all their harmony,
Love's broken murmur and more broken sigh.

X.

And they, the cause and sharers of the shock
Which left them exiles of the hollow rock,
Where were they? O'er the sea for life they plied,
To seek from Heaven the shelter men denied.
Another course had been their choice-but where?
The wave which bore them still their foes would bear,
Who, disappointed of their former chase,

In search of Christian now renew'd their race,

• The reader will recollect the epigram of the Greek anthology, or its Tanslation into most of the modern languages :—

"Whoe'er thou art, thy master see,

He was, or is, or is to be."

↑ The tradition is attached to 49 story of Eloisa, that when her body was lowered into the grave of Abelard, (who had been buried twenty years,) hepened his arms to receive her.

Eager with anger, their strong arms made way
Like vultures baffled of their previous prey.
They gain'd upon them, all whose safety lay
In some bleak crag or deeply-hidden bay :
No further chance or choice remain'd; and right
For the first further rock which met their sight
They steer'd, to take their latest view of land,
And yield as victims, or die sword in hand;
Dismiss'd the natives and their shallop, who
Would still have battled for that scanty crew;
But Christian bade them, seek their shore again,
Nor add a sacrifice which were in vain;
For what were simple bow and savage spear
Against the arms which must be wielded here?

XI.

They landed on a wild but narrow scene,
Where few but Nature's footsteps yet had been;
Prepared their arms, and with that gloomy eye,
Stern and sustain'd, of man's extremity,
When hope is gone, nor glory's self remains
To cheer resistance against death or chains,-
They stood, the three, as the three hundred stocd
Who dyed Thermopyla with holy blood.

But, Ah! how different! 't is the cause makes all,
Degrades or hallows courage in its fall.

O'er them no fame, eternal and intense,

Blazed through the clouds of death and beckon'd hence;
No grateful country, smiling through her tears,
Begun the praises of a thousand years;

No nation's eyes would on their tomb be bent,
No heroes envy them their monument;
However boldly their warm blood was spilt,
Their life was shame, their epitaph was guilt.
And this they knew and felt, at least the one,
The leader of the band he had undone ;
Who, born perchance for better things, had set
His life upon a cast which linger'd yet:
But now the die was to be thrown, and all
The chances were in favour of his fall:
And such a fall! But still he faced the shock,
Obdurate as a portion of the rock
Whereon he stood, and fix'd his levell'd gun,
Dark as a sullen cloud before the sun.

XII.

The boat drew nigh, well arm'd, and firm the crew
To act whatever duty bade them do;
Careless of danger, as the onward wind

Is of the leaves it strews, nor looks behind.
And yet perhaps they rather wish'd to go
Against a nation's than a native foe,
And felt that this poor victim of self-will,
Briton no more, had once been Britain's still.
They hail'd him to surrender-no reply;
Their arms were poised, and glitter'd in the sky.
They hail'd again-no answer; yet once more
They offer'd quarter louder than before.
The echoes only, from the rocks rebound,
Took their last farewell of the dying sound.

Then flash'd the flint, and blazed the volleying flame,
And the smoke rose between them and their aim,
While the rock rattled with the bullets' knell,
Which peal'd in vain, and flatten'd as they fell;
Then flew the only answer to be given

By those who had lost all hope in earth or heaven.
After the first fierce peal, as they pull'dnigher,
They heard the voice of Christian shout, "Now fire »
And ere the word upon the echo died,

Two fell; the rest assail'd the rock's rough side,
And, furious at the madness of their foes,
Disdian'd all further efforts, save to close.
But steep the crag, and all without a path,
Each step opposed a bastion to their wrath;
While, placed 'mid clefts the least accessible,
Which Christian's eye was train'd to mark full well,

The three maintain'd a strife which must not yield,
In spots where eagles might have chosen to build.
Their every shot told; while the assailant fell,
Dash'd on the shingles like the limpet shell;
But still enough survived, and mounted still,
Scattering their numbers here and there, until
Surrounded and commanded, though not nigh
Enough for seizure, near enough to die,
The desperate trio held aloof their fate

Survivors of the skirmish on the isle;
But the last rock left no surviving spoil.
Cold lay they where they fell, and weltering,
While o'er them flapp'd the sea-birds' dewy wing,
Now wheeling nearer from the neighbouring surge
And screaming high their harsh and hungry dirge.
But calm and careless heaved the wave below,
Eternal with unsympathetic flow;

Far o'er its face the dolphins sported on,

But by a thread, like sharks who have gorged the bait; And sprung the flying fish against the sun,
Yet to the very last they battled well,

And not a groan inform'd their foes who fell.

Christian died last-twice wounded; and once more
Mercy was offer'd when they saw his gore;
Too late for life, but not too late to die,
With, though a hostile hand, to close his eye.
A limb was broken, and he droop'd along
The crag, as doth a falcon reft of young.
The sound revived him, or appear'd to wake
Some passion which a weakly gesture spake :
He beckon'd to the foremost, who drew nigh,
But, as they near'd, he rear'd his weapon high-
His last ball had been aim'd, but from his breast
He tore the topmost button from his vest,'
Down the tube dash'd it, levell'd, fired, and smiled
As his foe fell; then, like a serpent, coil'd
His wounded, weary form, to where the steep
Look'd desperate as himself along the deep;
Cast one glance back, and clench'd his hand, and shook
His last rage 'gainst the earth which he forsook ;
Then plunged the rock below received like glass
His body crush'd into one gory mass,
With scarce a shred to tell of human form,
Or fragment for the sea-bird or the worm;

A fair-hair'd scalp, besmear'd with blood and weeds,
Yet reek'd, the remnant of himself and deeds
Some splinters of his weapons, (to the last,
As long as hand could hold, he held them fast,)
Yet glitter'd, but at distance-hurl'd away
To rust beneath the dew and dashing spray.
The rest was nothing-save a life mispent,
And soul-but who shall answer where it went ?
'Tis ours to bear, not judge the dead; and they
Who doom to hell, themselves are on the way,
Unless these bullies of eternal pains

Are pardon'd their bad hearts for their worse brains.

XIII.

The deed was over! All were gone or ta'en,
The fugitive, the captive or the slain.
Chain'd on the deck, where once, a gallant crew,
They stood with honour, were the wretched few

• In Thibault's account of Frederic the Second of Prussia, there is singular relation of a young Frenchman, who with his mistress, appeared to be of some rank. He enlisted and deserted at Scweidnitz: and after a desperate resistance was retaken, having killed an officer, who at tempted to seize him after he was wounded, by the discharge of his mus. het loaded with a button of his uniform. Some circumstances on his court-martial raised a great interest among his judges, who wished to discover his real situation in life, which he offered to disclose, but to the king only, to whom he requested permission to write. This was refused, and Frederic was filed with the greatest indignation, from bathed curi. osity or some other motive,when he understood that his request had been denied See Thibault's Work, vol. 2d.—[1 quote from memory.]

Till its dried wing relapsed from its brief height, To gather moisture for another flight.

XIV.

'T was morn; and Neuha, who by dawn of day
Swam smoothly forth to catch the rising ray,
And watch if aught approach'd the amphibious lait
Where lay her lover, saw a sail in air:
It flapp'd, it fill'd, and to the growing gale
Bent its broad arch: her breath began to fail
With fluttering fear, her heart beat thick and high,
While yet a doubt sprung where its course might lie-
But no! it came not; fast and far away
The shadow lessen'd as it clear'd the bay.
She gazed and flung the sea-foam from her eyes,
To watch as for a rainbow in the skies.
On the horizon verged the distant deck,
Dismiss'd, dwindled to a very speck-
Then vanish'd. All was ocean, all was joy!
Down plunged she through the cave to rouse her boy,
Told all she had seen, and all she hoped, and all
That happy love could augur or recall;
Sprung forth again, with Torquil following free
His bounding nereid over the broad sea;
Swam round the rock, to where a shallow cleft
Hid the canoe that Neuha there had left
Drifting along the tide, without an oar,
That eve the strangers chased them from the shore ;
But when these vanish'd, she pursued her prow,
Regain'd, and urged to where they found it now:
Nor ever did more love and joy embark,
Than now was wafted in that slender ark.

XV.

Again their own shore rises on the view,
No more polluted with a hostile hue,
No sullen ship lay bristling o'er the foam,
A floating dungeon :-all was hope and home!
A thousand proas darted o'er the bay,
With sounding shells, and heralded their way;
The chiefs came down, around the people pour'd,
And welcome Torquil as a son restored;
The women throng'd, embracing and embraced
By Neuha, asking where they had been chased,
And how escaped? The tale was told; and then
One acclamation rent the sky again;
And from that hour a new tradition gave
Their sanctuary the name of "Neuha's Cave."
A hundred fires, far flickering from the height,
Blazed o'er the general revel of the night,
The feast in honour of the guest, return'd
To peace and pleasure, perilously earn'd:
A night succeeded by such happy day
As only the yet infant world displays.

APPENDIX TO THE ISLAND.

EXTRACT FROM THE VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN BLIGH.

On the 27th of December it blew a severe storm of wind from the eastward, in the course of which we suffered greatly. One sea broke away the spare yards and spars out of the starboard mainchains; another broke into the ship and stove all the boats. Several casks of beer that had been lashed on deck broke loose, and were washed overboard; and it was not without great risk and difficulty that we were able to secure the oats from being washed away entirely. A great quan

tity of our bread was also damaged and rendered se less, for the sea had stove in our stern, and filled the cabin with water.

On the 5th of January, 1788, we saw the island cʻ Teneriffe about twelve leagues distant; and next day, being Sunday, came to an anchor in the road of Santa Cruz. There we took in the necessary supplies, and having finished our business, sailed on the 10th.

I now divided the people into three watches, and gave the charge of the third watch to Mr Fletcher

Christian, one of the mates. I have always considered the sails clewed up.

The lower yards were lowered,

this a desirable regulation when circumstances will ad- and the topgallant-masts got down upon deck, which mit of it; and I am persuaded that unbroken rest not relieved her much. We lay to all night, and in the only contributes much towards the health of the ship's morning bore away under a reefed foresail. The sea company, but enables them more readily to exert them-sull running high, in the afternoon it became very unsafe selves in cases of sudden emergency. to stand on: we therefore lay to all night, without any As I wished to proceed to Otaheite without stopping, accident, excepting that a man at the steerage was I reduced the allowance of bread to two-thirds, and thrown over the wheel and much bruised. Towards caused the water for drinking to be filtered through noon the violence of the storm abated, and we again drip-stones, bought at Teneriffe for that purpose. I bore away under the reefed foresail. now acquainted the ship's company of the object of the voyage, and gave assurances of certain promotion to every one whose endeavours should merit it.

In a few days we passed the island of St. Paul, where there is good fresh water, as I was informed by a Dutch captain, and also a hot spring, which boils fish as com. On Tuesday the 26th of February, being in south pletely as if done by a fire. Approaching to Van Die latitude 290 38, and 44° 44′ west longitude, we bent new man's land, we had much bad weather, with snow and sails, and made other necessary preparations for en-hail; but nothing was seen to indicate our vicinity on countering the weather that was to be expected in a the 13th of August, except a seal, which appeared at high latitude. Our distance from the coast of Brazil the distance of twenty leagues from it. We anchored was about one hundred leagues. in Adventure Bay on Wednesday the 20th. In our passage thither from the Cape of Good Hope, the winds were chiefly from the westward, with very boisterous weather. The approach of strong southerly winds is announced by many birds of the albatross or peterel tribe; and the abatement of the gale, or a shift of wind to the northward, by their keeping away. The The change of temperature soon began to be sensi-thermometer also varies five or six degrees in its height bly felt, and that the people might not suffer from their when a change of these winds may be expected. own negligence, I supplied them with thicker clothing, In the land surrounding Adventure Bay are many as better suited to the climate. A great number of forest trees one hundred and fifty feet high: we saw whales of an immense size, with two spout-holes on one which measured above thirty-three feet in girth. the back of the head, were seen on the 11th. We observed several eagles, some beautiful blue-plumaged herons, and paroquets in great variety.

On the forenoon of Sunday the 2d of March, after seeing that every person was clean, divine service was performed, according to my usual custom on this day. gave to Mr. Fletcher Christian, whom I had before directed to take charge of the third watch, a written order to act as lieutenant,

On a complaint made to me by the master, I found it necessary to punish Matthew Quintal, one of the seamen, with two dozen of lashes, for insolence and mutinous behaviour, which was the first time that there was any occasion for punishment on board.

We were off Cape St. Diego, the eastern part of the Terra del Fuego, and, the wind being unfavourable, I thought it more adviseable to go round to the eastward of Staten-land than to attempt passing through Straits le Maire. We passed New Year's Harbour and Cape St. John, and on Monday the 31st were in latitude 600 l' south. But the wind became variable, and we had bad weather.

The natives not appearing, we went in search of them towards Cape Frederic Henry. Soon after, coming to a grapnel close to the shore, for it was im possible to land, we heard their voices, like the cackling of geese, and twenty persons came out of the woods. We threw trinkets ashore tied up in parcels, which they would not open until I made an appearance of leaving them: they then did so, and, taking the articles out, pu thera on their heads. On first coming in sight they made a prodigious clattering in their speech, and held their arms over their heads. They spoke so quick, that it was impossible to catch one single word they uttered. Their colour is of a dull black; their skin scarified about the breast and shoulders. One was distinguished by h.s body being coloured with red ochre, but all the others were painted black, with a kind of soot, so thickly laid over their faces and shoulders, that it was difficult to ascertain what they were like.

On Thursday, the 4th of September, we sailed out of Adventure Bay, steering first towards east-southeast, and then to the northward of east, when, on the 19th, we came in sight of a cluster of small rocky islands, which I named Bounty Isles. Soon afterwards we frequently observed the sea, in the night-time, to be covered by luminous spots, caused by amazing quantities of small blubbers, or Medusa, which emit a light like a blaze of a candle from the strings or filaments extending from them, while the rest of the body continues per. fectly dark.

Storms, attended with a great sea, prevailed until the 12th of April. The ship began to leak, and required pumping every hour, which was no more than we had reason to expect from such a continuance of gales of wind and high seas. The decks also became so leaky, that it was necessary to allot the great cabin, of which I made little use except in fine weather, to those people who had not berths to hang their hammocks in, and by this means the space between decks was less crowded, With all this bad weather, we had the additional mortification to find, at the end of every day, that we were losing ground; for, notwithstanding our utmost exertions, and keeping on the most advantageous tracks, we did little better than drift before the wind. On Tuesday the 22d of April, we had eight down on the sick list, and the rest of the people, though in good health, were greatly fatigued; but I saw, with much concern, that it was impossible to make a passage this way to We discovered the island of Otaheite on the 25th, the Society Islands, for we had now been thirty days and, before casting anchor next morning in Matavai in a tempestuous ocean. Thus the season was too far Bay, such numbers of canoes had come off, that, after advanced for us to expect better weather to enable us the natives ascertained we were friends, they came on to double Cape Horn; and, from these and other gon-board, and crowded the deck so much, that in ten mi siderations, I ordered the helm to be put a-weather, nutes I could scarce find my own people. The whols and bore away for the Cape of Good Hope, to the great joy of every one on board

We came to an anchor on Friday the 23d of May in Simon's bay, at the Cape, after a tolerable run. The ship required complete caulking, for she had become so leaky, that we were obliged to pump hourly in our passage from Cape Horn. The sails and rigging also required repair; and on examining the provisions, a considerably quantity was found damaged.

Having remained thirty-eight days in this place, and my people having received all the advantage that could be derived from refreshments of every kind that could Le met with, we sailed on the 1st of July

A gale of wind blew on the 20th, with a high sea: it increased after noon with such violence, that the ship was driven almost forecastle under before we could get

distance which the ship had run, in direct and contrary courses, from the time of leaving England until reach ing Otaheite, was twenty-seven thousand and eightysix miles, which, on an average, was one hundred and eight miles each twenty-four hours.

Here we lost our surgeon on the 9th of December. Of late he had scarcely ever stirred out of the cabin, though not apprehended to be in a dangerous state. Nevertheless, appearing worse than usual in the even. ing, he was removed where he could obtain more air, but without any benefit, for he died in an hour after. wards. This unfortunate man drank very hard, and was so averse to exercise, that he would never be prevailed on to take half a dozen turns on deck at a time during all the course of the voyage. He was bu ried on shore.

On Monday the 5th of January, the small cutter was their little fingers; and several of the men, besides missed, of which I was immediately apprised. The these, had parted with the middle finger of the righ ship's company being mustered, we found three men hand.

were,

absent, who had carried it off. They had taken with The chiefs went off with me to dinner, and we carthem eight stand of arms and ammunition; but with re-ried on a brisk trade for yams: we also got plaintains gard to their plan, every one on board seemed to be and bread-fruit. But the yams were in great abunquite ignorant. I therefore went on shore, and en-dance, and very fine and large. One of them weighea gaged all the chiefs to assist in recovering both the above forty-five pounds. Sailing canoes came, some boat and the deserters. Accordingly, the former was of which contained not less than ninety passengers. brought back in the course of the day by five of the Such a number of them gradually arrived from differnatives; but the men were not taken until nearly three ent islands, that it was impossible to get any thing weeks afterwards. Learning the place where they done, the multitude became so great, and there was no in a different quarter of the island of Otaheite, I chief of sufficient authority to command the whole. I went thither in the cutter, thinking there would be no therefore ordered a watering party, then employed, to great difficulty in securing them with the assistance of come on board, and sailed on Sunday the 26th of April. the natives. However, they heard of my arrival; and We kept near the island of Kotoo all the afternoon when I was near a house in which they were, they of Monday, in hopes that some canoes would come off came out without their fire-arms, and delivered them- to the ship, but in this we were disappointed. The selves up. Some of the chiefs had formerly seized and wind being northerly, we steered to the westward in bound these deserters; but had been prevailed on, by the evening, to pass south of Tofoa; and I gave direc. fair promises of returning peaceably to the ship, to tions for this course to be continued during the night. release them. But finding an opportunity again to The master had the first watch, the gunner the middle get possession of their arms, they set the natives at watch, and Mr. Christian the morning watch. This defiance. was the turn of duty for the night.

The object of the voyage being now completed, all Hitherto the voyage had advanced in a course of unthe bread-fruit plants, to the number of one thousand interrupted prosperity, and had been attended with cirand fifteen, were got on board on Tuesday the 31st of cumst.ices equally pleasing and satisfactory. But a March. Besides these, we had collected many other very different scene was now to be disclosed: a conplants, some of them bearing the finest fruits in the spiracy had been formed, which was to render all our world; and valuable, from affording brilliant dyes, and past labour productive only of misery and distress; and for various properties besides. At sunset of the 4th of it had been concerted with so much secrecy and cirApril, we made sail from Otaheite, bidding farewell to cumspection, that no one circumstance escaped to bean island where for twenty-three weeks we had been tray the impending calamity. treated with the utmost affection and regard, and which On the night of Monday, the watch was set as I have seemed to increase in proportion to our stay. That we described. Just before sunrise on Tuesday morning, were not insensible to their kindness, the succeeding while I was yet asleep, Mr. Christian, with the master circumstances sufficiently proved; for to the friendly at arms, gunner's mate, and Thomas Burkitt, seaman, and endearing behaviour of these people may be as- came into my cabin, and seizing me, tied my hands cribed the motives inciting an event that affected the with a cord behind my back, threatening me with in ruin of our expedition, which there was every reason to stant death if I spoke or made the least noise. I neverbelieve would have been attended with the most favour-theless called out as loud as I could, in hopes of assis able issue.

tance; but the officers not of their party were already Next morning we got sight of the island Huaheine; secured by sentinels at their doors. At my own cabin and a double canoe soon coming alongside, containing door were three men, besides the four within: all exten natives, I saw among them a young man, who re- cept Christian had muskets and bayonets; he had only collected me, and called me by my name. I had been a cutlass. I was dragged out of bed, and forced on here in the year 1780, with Captain Cook, in the Reso- deck in my shirt, suffering great pain in the mean time lution. A few days after sailing from this island, the from the tightness with which my hands were tied. On weather became squally, and a thick body of black demanding the reason of such violence, the only anclouds collected in the east. A water-spout was in a swer was abuse for not holding my tongue. The masshort time seen at no great distance from us, which ap-ter, the gunner, surgeon, master's mate, and Nelson the peared to great advantage from the darkness of the gardener, were kept confined below, and the fore hatchclouds behind it. As nearly as I could judge, the up-way was guarded by sentinels. The boatswain and carper part was about two feet in diameter, and the lower penter, and also the clerk, were allowed to come on deck, about eight inches. Scarcely had I made these remarks, where they saw me standing abaft the mizzen-mast, when I observed that it was rapidly advancing towards with my hands tied behind my back, under a guard, with the ship. We immediately altered our course, and took Christian at their head. The boatswain was then orin all the sails except the foresail; soon after which it dered to hoist out the launch, accompanied by a threat, passed within ten yards of the stern, with a rustling if he did not do it instantly, TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. noise, but without our feeling the least effect from it SELF. being so near. It seemed to be trravelling at the rate The boat being hoisted out, Mr. Hayward and Mr. of about ten miles an hour, in the direction of the wind, Hallet, two of the midshipmen, and Mr. Samuel, the and it dispersed in a quarter of an hour after passing clerk, were ordered into it. I demanded the intention us. It is impossible to say what injury we should have of giving this order, and endeavoured to persuade the received had it passed directly over us. Masts, I ima-people near me not to persist in such acts of violence; gine, might have been carried away, but I do not ap- but it was to no effect; for the constant answer was, prehend that it would have endangered the loss of the "Hold your tongue, sir, or you are dead this moment.” ship. The master had by this time sent, requesting that he Passing several islands on the way, we anchored at might come on deck, which was permitted; but he was Annamooka on the 23d of April; and an old lame man soon ordered back again to his cabin. My exertions called Tepa, whom I had known here in 1777, and im- to turn the tide of affairs were continued; when Chrismediately recollected, came on board, along with others, tian, changing the cutlass he held for a bayonet, and from different islands in the vicinity. They were de- holding me by the cord about my hands with a strong sirous to see the ship, and on being taken below, where gripe, threatened me with immediate death if I would the bread-fruit plants were arranged, they testified not be quiet; and, the villains around me had their great surprise. A few of these being decayed, we went pieces cocked, and bayonets fixed. on shore to procure some in their place.

Certain individuals were called on to get into the The natives exhibited numerous marks of the pecu-boat, and were hurried over the ship's side; whence 1 iar mourning which they express on losing their rela- concluded that along with them I was to be set adrift. tives; such as bloody temples, their heads being de- Another effort to bring about a change produced noprived of most of their hair; and what was worse, al- thing but menaces of having my brains blown out. most the whole of them had lost some of their fingers. The boatswain and those seamen who were to be Several fine boys, not above six years old, had lost both put into the boat were allowed to collect twine, canvass

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