taken for canvas. On she came towards us,
close-hauled, at a rate which would have made it useless to attempt
escaping her. The two canoes which formed the lower part of her
structure were of great length, and very narrow, supporting a large
platform of some height, which served to keep them some distance apart.

We could only distinguish three men on her deck; and had Dick been well,
we might easily have resisted them in the event of their exhibiting any
hostile intentions. But he felt himself too weak to show fight, and we
agreed that our best course was to put a bold face on the matter, and to
bid them go on their way, while we continued our course to the
southward. As we drew nearer, however, three more men appeared from
below, holding bows and spears in their hands. Placing the spears on
the deck, each fixed an arrow to his bow; on seeing which--believing
that they were going to shoot--I hauled down the sail, and, holding up
my hands, tried to make them understand that I surrendered. On this
they withdrew their arrows, and the canoe was steered up alongside the
boat. I then pointed to Dick, wishing to explain to them that he was
ill. They took no notice of my signs, however; and two or three of them
leaping into the boat, which they secured by a rope to the canoe,
dragged him and me out of it on to their deck. At first I thought that
they were going to kill us immediately. Dick was too weak to make any
resistance; and I knew that I could do nothing by myself. I endeavoured
to exhibit as little fear as possible, however, and taking one of the
savages by the hand, shook it and smiled, to show that I wished to be on
friendly terms. After they had talked together, they appeared to have
determined to spare our lives; then lowering their sail, they hoisted it
on the other tack, and stood for the shore, towing our boat astern.
Dick was allowed to sit on the deck, while I stood near him, no one
molesting us.

"We're in a bad case, Mr Rayner," he observed; "but it won't do to give
way to despair, and we must try to put a good face on the matter. If I
was well, and able to help you, I shouldn't so much mind it; but I feel
as weak as a baby, and that tries me."

"I hope you will get stronger soon, Dick, and then we must try to make
our escape to our friends," I answered. "I am afraid that the savages
are more likely in the meantime to get hold of them," he observed.
"What puzzles me is, that they didn't find