reted
it, intended to serve the purpose of a flag of truce. Naturally we at
once assumed our weapons, and saw that our firearms were fully loaded
and placed handy for use, lest further treachery should be contemplated;
and then I hailed the canoe and informed her occupants that if they had
anything to say to us they might approach within easy speaking distance,
but that they were not to attempt to come alongside without permission,
and that if any such attempt were made they would at once be fired upon.
And that there might be no misunderstanding upon this point I
flourished a loaded gun in their sight, to show that we were quite
prepared to carry out our threat.

Slowly and hesitatingly the canoe continued to approach the schooner
until she had arrived within about twenty fathoms of us, and then her
crew backed water and brought their craft to a standstill. A short
consultation among them next followed, and then one of their number rose
to his feet and hailed.

"Master," he shouted, "we got it three mans ashore belong you. You any
mans got it belong we?"

"Yes," replied I. "We have eight of your people on board here. Are the
white men unhurt?"

"No," was the answer. "They all get it hurt leettle bit, not much.
Black mans along you not hurt, eh?"

"Three of them are unhurt; the others are wounded so they no can walk.
What for you not bring it off those white mans with you?" I demanded,
adopting their peculiar mode of speech under the mistaken impression
that I could thus make myself the better understood.

"Those white mans no can walk too," answered my interlocutor. "Suppose
you want it them, we bring them off, and you give it us those eight
black fellows belong we, eh?"

So it was an exchange of prisoners that they had come off to negotiate,
it appeared. Well, I was more than willing to make the exchange, but I
did not care to appear too eager; so I temporised by enquiring as to the
nature and extent of the white men's hurts. But they either could not
or would not reply in a manner that was perfectly intelligible to me,
and matters seemed to be approaching a deadlock when one of the canoe
men started to his feet, and in an eager, impatient manner, asked:

"Master, suppose you no got it Oahika aboard, eh?" which enquiry went a
good way toward confirming my opinion that the rascal was a person of
some importance.

"Yes," I replied, "we got it Oahika, all right, not hurt one little
bit." Then, with