and intermarried with them. The pilot and his
son-in-law came on board. I was compelled to hire the latter that he
might assist his father-in-law in returning with his canoe. The price
agreed on was ten yards of Osnabergs to each; no difference in the
price, whether the voyage was performed in one week, or I detained him
three months: it was all the same.

We weighed anchor and proceeded to the southward, intending to stop at
every settlement between the Cape and Pearl Key Lagoon. The next day we
anchored at Sandy Bay. Soon after, we were visited by Governor Clemente,
Admiral Hammer, General McLean, and many petty officers and citizens.
After treating with a few gallons of rum, by way of introduction, I
opened a brisk trade with them, bartering my goods for the same kind of
articles I had bought at the Cape. The governor brought on board with
him one of his nine living wives. After remaining here three days, we
got under weigh and steered southward, keeping near the land, under the
direction of the pilot. In the evening I began to doubt his skill, and
often hove the lead to satisfy myself, the pilot being stationed forward
to keep a good look-out. About ten o'clock I heard the sound of out,
out, out. I looked under the lee of the boom and discovered we were near
the breakers. We attempted to tack ship, but found it impossible. In a
few moments we were driven upon the reef, unshipping our rudder and
thumping so hard that I expected she would break in pieces. About an
hour after, she beat over the shoal into nine feet water, where we came
to anchor. The next day I sounded a passage out between the shoals. In
heaving the vessel through the passage we broke our largest anchor, and
finding it impossible to save her, hoisted the jib and ran her on shore.
When the wind abated we landed our sails, dry goods and hardware. We
built a comfortable tent, which protected our goods from the rains which
visit that country almost every day from May until November. We found
ourselves near the mouth of a river called Waa-waa, some fifteen miles
from the residence of Governor Clemente. After remaining here a few days
I sent the pilot to the governor's residence, claiming his protection
and requesting him to furnish me with men and canoes to transport my
goods to Pearl Key Lagoon, and I would pay them a liberal compensation
for their services. The messenger returned with an answer, that the
governor had gone on an excursion through his domi