isfied
with the result of my efforts. Thus, allowing one bow for each of us,
and a second as a stand-by, I had eight bows for which I had no
particular use. They did not quite come up to my standard, yet I did
not care to destroy them; after some consideration, therefore, I decided
that they might be used as a medium for the establishment of friendly
relations between ourselves and our neighbours, the natives on Cliff
Island. Accordingly, on a certain day, placing the superfluous bows and
a number of arrows in the boat, and taking our rifles and revolvers with
us, Billy and I started to pay our visit.

Heading south, a run of five miles brought us, in the course of an hour,
to the western extremity of Cliff Island, rounding which we presently
saw that the natives appeared to be all at work in their fields of maize
and sugar, or tending their fruit-trees. The sight of our sails,
gliding along within a short distance of the beach, caused them to drop
whatever work they might be engaged upon, to watch our progress,
although the boat must by that time have become quite a familiar object
to them, so often had we passed the island on our way to and from the
wreck. Arrived at the spot where we had encountered the apes, I hauled
the boat to the wind, ran her in upon the beach, and stepped ashore.
This was the first time that I had landed upon the island since that
memorable occasion, and consequently I was not surprised to observe that
my action created something of a commotion among the inhabitants. The
alarm trumpets were sounded, and there was again a stampede on the part
of the women and children toward the curious caves in the cliff-face,
while the men came running together and rallying round an individual who
appeared to be their leader, or chief. Meanwhile I walked slowly up the
narrow beach to the level ground beyond, and there stood with both hands
upraised in token of amity.

The man whom I assumed to be the chief stood intently regarding me for
several minutes, as though endeavouring to gather from my actions what
my motive for landing on the island might be; whereupon I beckoned, and
then again raised my hands above my head. By way of response the chief
raised his hands for a moment, and then proceeded to discuss--as I
surmised--the situation with certain others who were probably minor
chiefs. Finally, after I had several times repeated my beckonings,
about a dozen of them, including the man whom I suppose