th great apparent ferocity,
for the purpose, as it seemed, of awing us into submission; occasionally
striking some of our number. After pretty thoroughly convincing us that
in this case our only course was submission, he began to strip us of our
clothing. While this was going on, his associates in arms and mischief
kept their canoe close alongside, and, standing up, held their spears in
a position to enable them to pierce us through in an instant, if there
had been any occasion for so doing.

We were soon in their miserable harbor; and, it being low water, we were
compelled to leave our boat, and wade to the tableland through the mud.
Our appearance, as the reader will naturally conclude, was not very
creditable to the land which gave us birth; but since our destitute and
miserable condition was not our choice, we could do no less than be
thankful that it was no worse; and, making the best of it, we suffered
ourselves to be ushered into the presence of the dignitaries of the
island, in the way they thought most proper. We were conducted to a
platform, on a rise of land at a little distance from the harbor, on
which were seated those who had power to dispose of us as they pleased.
This platform was twelve or fifteen feet square, and was situated
between two long buildings, called "_pyes_." These, as we afterwards
learned, were used by the chiefs as places of carousal, and as a sort of
harem for their women. They were constructed in a rude manner, of bamboo
sticks, and covered with leaves. They were sixty or seventy feet in
length, and about twenty-four in width.

That something like a correct conception of this scene may be formed by
the reader, it may be well to give, in this place, a brief account of
the appearance, manners, and customs of the natives of this island. This
was the island known to navigators as Baubelthouap, the largest of the
group of the Pelew islands. It lies not far from the eighth degree of
north latitude, is about one hundred and twenty miles in length, and
contains probably not far from two thousand inhabitants.[2]

The men were entirely naked. They always go armed, in the way before
described, and carry with them a small basket, containing generally the
whole amount of their movable property. The women wear no other clothing
than a sort of apron (fastened to the waist by a curiously wrought
girdle) extending nearly to the knees, and left open at the sides. The
material of these garments (if suc