d to the boarding-nettings until repelled by cutlass and
pistol. Thus began and ended most of the quarrels with the natives, who,
usually the aggressors, were invariably defeated, but not without hard
fighting and some loss on the part of the assailed. Captain Trainer,
however, was not always quite blameless in the provocation of quarrels,
which always terminated in heavy loss to the misguided savages. At New
Hanover a foolish jest, which his experience of the people he had to deal
with ought to have prevented him from indulging in, was cause of much
bloodshed, and nearly occasioned the loss of the vessel, and destruction
of the crew. Trade had gone on merrily and amicably for several days, when
Trainer expressed a desire for a remarkable necklace of shells and teeth
worn by one of the chiefs. The wearer was willing, and a bargain struck.
The necklace was tightly knotted, and the purchaser propose to cut it. By
way of a joke, "instead of cutting the cord, which he held in one hand, he
raised the knife in a threatening manner as if about to stab the man."
Practical jokes are always foolish and in bad taste,--_jeu de mains, jeu
de vilains_, as the French proverb says;--and the results of this one were
very serious. "The native took instant alarm, thought the captain was in
earnest, made a spring clear of him, which broke his necklace, and plunged
overboard. A few natives on deck at the time followed his example." A
fierce fight, in which several of the schooner's crew were wounded, and a
large number of the islanders killed, was the consequence of this
thoughtless act. And scarcely had the assailants been repelled when the
vessel was found to be on fire, ignited gun and pistol wadding having
fallen through an open hatch amongst inflammable dunnage. By great
exertion the flames were overcome, and the Hound sailed from the inlet
where these unpleasant occurrences had taken place.

From Dr Coulter's account, the islands of the Pacific are the scene of
continual acts of injustice, oppression, and insubordination. It
constantly happens that seamen, seduced by the prospect of a sensual and
idle life, and weary of hard work and uncertain pay on board traders and
whalers, desert their ships and settle amongst the savages. Sometimes they
are driven to this by ill-usage from their captains, often fierce and
hard-hearted men. When a vessel becomes short-handed, it is a common
practice to inveigle Indians on board; and if fair promises