ower of Satan, and grant them
everlasting life. They heard us with attention and surprise, and staid
with us till late at night, when we desired them to return home, but
could hardly prevail upon them to leave us.

As soon as they were gone, having performed our usual evening
devotions, we were preparing to retire to bed; when we heard a noise
without, and immediately after, a violent knocking at the door. On
opening it, I was not a little alarmed to see a great number of Malays
surrounding the entrance. I cried silently to the Lord to protect us
against their evil designs; but though my fears were great, I assumed
an authoritative air, keeping my station in the door-way, as if
determined not to let them enter. The foremost, however, pushed in, and
now the Nacata himself came up. He treacherously held out his hand; but
on my offering him mine, he grasped it firmly, and dragged me with him
into the house. The Malays immediately filled all the chairs, and I
stood before them. I had no other hope but in the mercy of God, to whom
I sighed for help in this trying moment. Meanwhile more of them crowded
into the room, and sat down on the floor, closely watching me, armed
with their creeses or daggers. Though I preserved a firm and undaunted
appearance, I cannot describe my feelings, for I expected to be
immediately sacrificed to their fury. The Nacata addressed me by
saying, that he was come hither to ask, whose property the cannon were
to be, his or mine? I answered, "that he came to the wrong person to
make that inquiry; for I was only a servant of the King of Denmark, as
he, according to his own account, was only the servant of the King of
Queda. Neither of us, therefore, could determine who was to have the
cannon. Our respective masters, and they only, were able to settle that
point. He had told me that he had received orders to fetch them; and I
could assure him, that I had orders to protest against it: we both,
therefore, had only done our duty. All now depended upon this point,
whether my king, or his king, had any right to give orders in these
islands, and to claim the property in question." At this answer, he
became quite furious, and began to talk about the ease, with which the
Malays might murder us all. Some of them even drew their daggers, and
shewed how they were tipped with poison. They looked, indeed, more like
a host of devils, than a company of human creatures. On a sudden they
all jumped up, and seemed to ru