the South Pacific.

Here they thought their troubles were ended, for the natives of Tahiti
were known to not only be friendly to white men, but Christianised as
well.

But as soon as the sea-worn men approached the beach, numbers of canoes,
filled with natives armed with muskets, put off, and surrounding the
boat, made the white men prisoners.

Greatly alarmed at this proceeding--which was such a contrary reception
to what they had expected from the Tahitians--Todd at first imagined he
had lost his reckoning and arrived at some strange island But some of
the natives spoke a little English, and very soon their conduct was
explained to the white men.

Some months previously a party of escaped convicts had arrived at the
island in a small schooner, which they had seized at Van Dieman's Land
(Tasmania). In bringing the vessel to an anchor the convicts lost her on
the reef, and their lives had been saved by the Tahitians. The strangers
were hospitably received, but their degraded natures were soon
made evident They broke into a chief's house, stole food, arms,
and ammunition, placed them in a boat belonging to the local white
missionaries, and ran away with her. A party of Tahitians gave chase,
and were fired upon by the convicts, who killed four of their number
and badly injured their canoe, so that the remainder had the greatest
difficulty in reaching the land again.

Todd and his companions were thought to be another party of convicts,
and the queen and chiefs of the island gave orders that they should be
kept close prisoners.

But this additional misfortune was soon over, for as the boat, escorted
by the canoes, entered Papeite Harbour Mr. Todd saw lying at anchor the
London South Seaman _Tiger_, Captain Richards. This vessel had been at
Conception at the same time as the _Indefatigable_, and the officers
of each ship had met. In the course of an hour or so Todd saw Captain
Richards and told his story, and then the misunderstanding with the
Tahitians was cleared up and the second mate and his companions supplied
with every comfort A week later the _Tiger_ sailed for Sydney, taking
the four men with her.

Meanwhile what had become of the _Indefatigable_, and how fared poor
Loftgreen with the mutineers? *****

As soon as the longboat was clear of the brig the mutineers released the
mate.

"We now want the brig navigated to Guam" (one of the Ladrone Islands),
said Mancillo to Loftgreen; "I am captain now, and y