be able to get back in time for dinner. Now, let's see;
I'll have Mr Cunnin'ham for one, as I said, and--yes, Joe Maybury'll do
very well for t'other. Just give them two their instructions, Mr
Temple, will ye. I'll be ready to go in ten minutes; and I guess we'll
go in the jollyboat."

I found Cunningham and explained the situation to him, and he was,
naturally, delighted at the idea of having a run ashore; but I warned
him to keep his weather eye lifting, and to take a couple of fully
loaded revolvers with him, as well as plenty of cartridges, and a
cutlass. Then I found Maybury, and gave him similar instructions,
winding up by telling off three more men to go in the jollyboat and
bring her back as soon as she had landed her passengers. Ten minutes
later the little expedition started, and I stood and watched them as
they pulled away for the beach, accompanied by the five canoes which had
come off to us half an hour earlier.

As they drew in toward the shore I perceived, with a momentary qualm of
uneasiness, that quite a considerable number of natives was turning out
to meet them; but upon bringing the ship's telescope to bear upon the
beach my uneasiness was to a considerable extent dissipated, for I then
saw that the crowd was largely composed of women and children, while, so
far as I could see, none of the men carried anything resembling a
weapon. Also I was unable to detect any sign of hostility or excitement
on the faces of the natives; on the contrary, they all appeared to be
smiling with the utmost good humour, and as Cunningham stepped out of
the boat I saw one _cafe au lait_ coloured young minx dart forward and
laughingly throw a garland of gay-tinted flowers round his neck. The
screech of delight with which this achievement was greeted reached my
ears even where I was, a good half mile from the beach. The laughing,
shouting crowd then closed in upon the newcomers, and once again I
became a trifle anxious; but presently I caught a glimpse of
Cunningham's smiling countenance in the midst of the crowd, and a minute
or two later the skipper and his bodyguard emerged, and, accompanied by
the sandalwood merchants, walked off up a footpath that vanished among
the trees within fifty yards of the shore.

Then, to my annoyance, the natives gathered round the boat, and the
crew, instead of returning forthwith, as I had instructed them to do,
laid in their oars, stepped out of her on to the sand, and proceeded