a regular rough one, never minded what he did, and
thought no more of a man's life than that of a dog. I mind what
happened once when we were away to the westward after sandal-wood, where
the black men of one island are always at war with those of another, and
when one side gains the victory never fail to kill and eat their
enemies. We had gone to one island where the natives were friendly, and
had got them to cut down and bring aboard a good quantity of the wood.
When they had cut down all that was to be found in that part of the
island, and we had shipped the best part of it, the skipper told them to
bring off the remainder in their canoes and he would pay them
handsomely. No sooner were they on board than he invited them down into
the hold to receive their payment, when he had the hatches clapped on
over them, and casting their canoes adrift made sail. He then told them
that he was going to take them to another island where there was plenty
of sandal-wood, and that when they had cut it down for him and shipped
it he would take them back to their own country. This quieted them,
though it seemed strange that they should have believed him. In three
or four days we got to the island he spoke of, when about half the crew
well armed landed with the black fellows, and soon set them to work on
the sandal-wood trees, which were some way from the coast. We were on
the watch all the time to prevent them or ourselves being attacked by
the natives, who kept at a distance, for they dreaded our firearms, as
we had shot three or four of them for coming too near. We made our
prisoners carry the sandal-wood on their shoulders down to the harbour,
when our boats took it on board. We went on in this fashion till we had
got a full cargo, notwithstanding which the skipper said he must have
the remainder of the wood cut down, and ordered our prisoners to go and
fetch it. As they knew the way they trudged on as they had done for
several days past. As soon as they were out of sight the skipper told
us to give them the slip and return to the boats. On getting aboard he
ordered the anchor to be hove up, and sail made, and stood out of the
harbour. Just then we saw the sandal-wood cutters come rushing back
waving and shouting to us.

"`You must shout louder for me to hear you,' cried the skipper. `I
cannot stop for you.'

"Presently we saw a whole army of natives with spears and clubs come
rushing out of the wood. They soon over