ted Tom Tubb, who could generally make himself understood, to
address them. He singled out the chief, and told him that we were
friends of the natives, and that we came simply to traffic. The chief
merely shouted and gesticulated as fiercely as before, making signs to
us to be off, evidently not wishing to have any intercourse with
strangers. This enraged the New Zealander, who, standing up in the bow
of the canoe, became as much excited as the chief, brandishing the
boat-hook as a spear, and making as if he would throw it at him. Thus
they continued for some time, till I thought it prudent to desire Tom to
cease, but he showed no inclination to do this, evidently taking
pleasure in exciting the chief to the greatest pitch of fury. The rest
of the natives becoming as enraged as their leader, presently began to
assail us with pieces of coral, the only missiles they possessed. To
avoid them we pulled away as rapidly as we could: indeed, as it was,
several lumps of coral struck the boat. Here again was another proof
that the natives had cause to dread an intercourse with white men.

The wind heading us we were compelled to make a tack to the eastward,
when we sighted another lagoon island, on which, near the entrance, we
saw a flag waving in the air, and near it a number of natives, all more
or less dressed in shirts and trousers of various colours. They had no
arms in their hands; and as we approached the entrance of the lagoon in
a boat they came down to welcome us in a most friendly way. We were not
long in discovering the cause, a native neatly dressed in shirt,
trousers, and jacket, with a hat on his head, approaching, introduced
himself as a native teacher. He could speak a few words of English;
and, with the aid of Tom Tubb, we managed to carry on a conversation.
He had been only two years on the island. When he first landed the
people were as savage as those we had last visited. The whole had now
become Christians, and partly civilised. Anxious as he was to instruct
them in the truths of Christianity, he was also desirous of improving
their social condition. All the women were dressed in cotton gowns, the
men as I have described; while their huts were of a superior
construction to those on any of the neighbouring islands. The
missionary assured us also that many of the people could read, and some
could even write. We agreed that should we have the misfortune to be
wrecked, how thankful we should be t