e mate were in no hurry to return on board. The men
who had escaped up the rigging were still there; but whether the
captain's wife and those who had fled below had survived the massacre we
could not tell. The ship was still crowded with savages, who were
busily employed carrying up what they could find below and had strength
to remove. The oil-casks must, however, have been beyond their power to
lift, though Dick observed that they would be sure to try and get hold
of the iron hoops, and be rather astonished when the oil burst out over
them.

Our captor directed his course towards a small inner bay, on the shores
of which were several huts, where we concluded that he lived. Though
some of his men cast savage glances at us, and looked as if they would
like to knock out our brains, we were not ill-treated, nor was anything
taken from us.

On landing, we were allowed to remain by ourselves while the crews of
the canoes were busy in unloading them as fast as they could.

There was close at hand, forming one side of the little bay, a high
rock, whence Dick thought that we could get a good sight of the whole
harbour. We set off, and, unnoticed by the busy natives, made our way
to the top of it. We were not disappointed in our expectations, and
from it could see both the ship and the boat. The latter had made but
little way, and, finding the wind against her, had lowered her sail and
taken to the oars. More canoes were collecting alongside, and we
concluded that the chief and his followers were going to return for a
further supply of booty. We were allowed to remain on the rocks, the
natives probably knowing that we could not make our escape.

The wind after a time freshened a little, and the boat was drawing
nearer. As we were looking towards her, a loud report reached our ears,
and, turning our eyes towards the ship, we saw the masts and deck rising
upwards, surrounded by a dense smoke, and a thick mass of the shattered
fragments of numberless articles, mingled with the boom-boats,
companion-hatch, caboose, and human beings mangled and torn. For a few
seconds they seemed to hang in the air, and then were scattered far and
wide around the ship. The masts falling into the water, crushed several
of the canoes alongside, and the shrieks and cries of the natives, who
had escaped with life, while they paddled away in dismay, came over the
waters towards us.

Dick and I held our breath, and I saw horror depicted i