s he made--at which he grew angry, and
seizing his club, threatened to use it on Dick's head. Dick, patting
him on the back, advised him to cool his temper; then telling him to
steer, took the oar to show him how he could use it.

At last, having got some distance from the shore, Dick proposed bringing
up and trying our luck. Almost immediately I got a bite, and pulled up
a big fish; Dick directly afterwards caught another; and thus we went
on, greatly to the delight of the natives. Indeed, our hooks and lines
caught more fish in the course of three hours than their nets usually
entrapped in a day.

The chief, when we got back, was highly pleased, and bestowed the name
of Big-fish-man on Dick.

Several days went by. We were in high favour with Paowang, and the rest
of the people treated us with much kindness; still we were slaves, and
we felt very anxious about the fate of our companions. Should the
savages discover them, and they be tempted to defend themselves, they
might not be treated so well as we were; whilst, should they be
captured, our chances of escape would be smaller than ever.

A fortnight or more had gone by; and the natives began to treat us more
capriciously than at first. Several of them had by this time learned to
row, and sometimes Dick was compelled to go out to fish by himself with
a couple of natives; sometimes I was sent, while Dick was ordered to
work in the taro fields. When I was kept on shore, I had to perform the
same sort of labour, in company with the women and girls. I should not
have minded it very much, had it not been for the heat of the sun: and
from this I found Dick also suffered extremely; indeed, he was looking
very ill, and I much feared that he would have a relapse.

My worst apprehensions were too soon fulfilled. One evening, when I and
my black crew returned home from fishing, I found Dick lying in our hut
scarcely able to speak. He had been out the whole day in the fields,
scantily supplied with food, and had received a sun-stroke. He was in a
high fever. I ran to the chief and entreated him to give me a supply of
cocoa-nut milk, which I hoped, at all events, might alleviate his
sufferings. The chief replied that I might help myself to some
cocoa-nuts, but offered me no other assistance. In desperation I
climbed the nearest tree, on which some were still hanging, and threw
them to the ground; two were split and the milk lost, but I brought home
three others.