on my feelings more powerful than
sleep, and imagination was busy through the night in picturing scenes
of future happiness.
But the prospect of our being released from our unpleasant situation
was not very flattering. Early next morning I asked and obtained
permission from my master, to pay a visit to Lay, before passing round
to the opposite side of the Island. Accompanied by my master's son and
several others, I went to the hut where Lay lived, and we had the
pleasure of another interview; but it was of short duration, for we
were not allowed to be together more than a quarter of an hour. I
returned to my master's canoe, and there continued till the middle of
the day; we then launched and set sail for _Tabanawort_, where we
arrived the fore part of the night.--Early next morning we prepared
for a fishing cruise, had pretty good success, and returned just
before night, made a fire, cooked some fish, and ate a delicious
supper.
Our canoe being leaky and very much out of repair, my master and I
commenced taking her to pieces, for the purpose of re-building her;
and we were occasionally employed upon her nearly two months, when we
launched her, and commencing fishing business, had alternately good
and bad success. One day we had the good fortune to enclose, in a kind
of wear made for the purpose, a large quantity of fishes, and with a
scoopnet we caught a plentiful supply. After cooking them, we set out
with a quantity to dispose of to the chiefs of Milly, where we arrived
before night, on the same day of sailing. Very soon after our arrival
I saw Lay and his master approaching the canoe, and we once more had a
short but pleasant interview. I inquired of Lay how he fared, as to
food, &c. His reply was, better than he expected, and that the natives
were kind to him, always giving him his part. I informed him I had a
basket of fish reserved for him as a present, which he requested me to
keep till dark, that he might be enabled to carry them home without
having them all begged by the natives. He came at night for the fish,
and I retired, agreeably to my master's wishes to sleep in the canoe,
to prevent the natives from stealing the remainder of the fish that
were on board. The next morning my master was highly pleased to find
that nothing was missing; and gave me liberty to go and see Lay. I
went to the hut and found him with his master. They gave me a cordial
welcome, and presented me with some cocoanuts in return for
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