th of the gale was felt, and they were thankful that their vessel
lay snugly in harbour, and sheltered from its fury. Here they found a
group of huts and patches of cultivated ground, for the production of
the taro root, but the inhabitants had hastily fled. This was
unsatisfactory, as they must have had cause to dread the appearance of
white men. They saw, therefore, that it would be prudent to return by
the most direct route to the bay, where it would be safer to attempt
establishing friendly relations with them; for should they fail, unless
they could fight their way, they would probably be cut off. Keeping
close together, they therefore marched rapidly westward.

Several times they saw natives armed with bows, spears, and clubs,
hovering on either side, but none of them came within speaking distance.
They seemed to increase in numbers as the party approached the bay, and
Charley felt thankful when they came in sight of the schooner. Their
first care was to get the boat afloat, that they might retreat if
necessary. They had brought a number of useful articles for barter--
knives and pieces of cotton cloth, and handkerchiefs, and nails, and
some of them they placed on the rocks, beckoning the natives with
friendly gestures to approach and take them. No sooner had Charley and
his party retired to the boat, than nearly forty savages started up from
behind the rocks and rushed towards the goods, eagerly seizing them, and
as quickly retreating again under shelter. After this, nothing could
tempt the savages from their cover. One thing was certain, that Jack
could not be on the island, or the savages would have learned to treat
white men in a different manner. Charley, therefore, determined to
return to the schooner. No sooner, however, had his men begun to shove
off the boat, than the savages, fearing to lose the treasures they
possessed, made a furious rush in a body towards her, flourishing their
war-clubs, and holding their spears ready to throw.

"Shove off, lads, shove off, for your lives!" cried Charley, seizing an
oar. "Let not a shot be fired unless I give the word."

The savages, however, seeing that their expected prize was about to
escape them, rushed on with greater speed, some hurling their spears,
others, with clubs uplifted, threatening the destruction of all in the
boat.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THE RIGHT WAY TO TREAT SAVAGES--THE MISSIONARY AND HIS CONVERTS--THE BOY
ON THE ISLAND.

Charley