the other men. Strange as it may seem,
notwithstanding the numbers of shot, spears, and bullets sent on board
us, no one had been killed.

The captain was on the poop, attending to the steering of the brig and
watching the proceedings of the enemy.

I soon returned with some ham and bread and a mug of water, and I got
from the steward some bandages and salve. While Uncle Jack carefully
bound up his wound, the stranger eagerly took a draught of water, and
was then able to swallow some of the food I had brought.

We had hitherto restrained our eagerness; but as soon as he appeared
somewhat recovered, my uncle told him how much we wished to hear the
account he had to give of himself, adding that we had gone up the river
to search for some Englishmen said to be prisoners to the natives.

"We expected to find my father, Captain Musgrave, who lately commanded
the `Amphion,'" I observed.

The stranger's answer at once dispelled my hopes.

"I was one of the Englishmen you heard of, but we were not prisoners.
There was another man with me; we belonged to a vessel from Sydney
trading with the natives, but having had a quarrel with our skipper, we
were left behind. We thought that we could establish a trade with the
natives, as my mate had once done in one of the South Sea islands, and
we were waiting until another vessel should come up the river. We had
been there three years or more, and were becoming accustomed to the
life, though we had made up our minds to go away if any vessel appeared.
Two nights ago we were sleeping in our house close to the bank of the
river, when we were awakened by fearful shrieks and cries. Looking out
we saw a number of prahus brought up along the bank, and hundreds of
fellows, whom we knew to be pirates, with swords in their hands, rushing
about setting fire to the houses and cutting off the heads of the
unfortunate people as they tried to escape from the flames. They had
not yet discovered our house, but as a party of them drew near we sang
out to them, saying that if they wished to be friends with us we were
ready to be friends with them; but if not, we were determined to fight
to the last, besides which we threatened to set fire to the house and to
destroy all the goods within it, but which we offered otherwise to make
over to them. We took aim as we spoke at their chief, who appeared at
their head. They seemed to think that they might obtain our heads at
too high a price if they at