that had ever stopped at the islands, and the savage natives instantly
planned to capture her and massacre the crew. But they resolved to first
put the white men off their guard. Taula, however, did not know this at
the time. With a number of the Nisan people he went on board, taking
an ample supply of provisions. The brigantine had a large crew and was
heavily armed, carrying ten guns, and the natives were allowed to board
in numbers. The captain had with him his wife, whom Taula described as
being quite a young girl. He questioned the natives about pearl-shell
and _beche-de-mer_ and a few hours later, by personal inspection,
satisfied himself that the atoll abounded with both. He made a treaty
with the apparently friendly people, and at once landed a party to build
houses, etc.

I must now, for reasons that will appear later on, hurry over Taula's
story as told by him to Bandy.

Eight or ten days after the arrival of the brigantine, the shore
party of fourteen white men were treacherously attacked, and thirteen
ruthlessly slaughtered. One who escaped was kept as a slave, and the
brigantine, to avoid capture, hurriedly put to sea.

Six months or so passed, and the vessel again appeared and anchored,
this time on a mission of vengeance. The natives, nevertheless, were not
alarmed, and again determined to get possession of the ship, although
this time her decks were crowded with men. They attacked her in canoes,
were repulsed, returned to the shore and then, with incredible audacity,
sent the white sailor whom they had captured on board the vessel to make
peace. But not for a moment had they relinquished the determination to
capture the vessel, which they decided to effect by treachery, if force
could not be used. What followed was related in detail by Taula to
Bandy.

Parker and I were deeply interested in Bandy's story, and at its
conclusion I asked him if his informant knew the name of the ship and
her nationality.

"Not her name, sir; but she was an American. Taula knew the American
flag, for the ship he ran away from was a Sag harbour whaler. The
pig-iron bars which you found were brought ashore to make a bed for the
_beche-de-mer_ curing pots. He showed 'em to me one day."

Both Parker and I were convinced of the truth of Bandy's story, and came
to the conclusion that the unknown brigantine was probably a colonial
trader, which had afterwards been lost with all hands. For we were
both fairly well up in the