"We had scarcely waded out past our waists when, to our unspeakable
horror, a crowd of naked blacks, hideously painted and armed with spears,
came rushing down the cliffs towards us, yelling and whooping in a way I
am never likely to forget. They seemed to rise out of the very rocks
themselves; and I really think we imagined we were going mad, and that
the whole appalling vision was a fearful dream, induced by the dreadful
state of our nerves. My own heart seemed to stand still with terror, and
the only description I can give of my sensations was that I felt
absolutely paralysed. At length, when the yelling monsters were quite
close to us, we realised the actual horror of it all, and screaming
frantically, tried to dash out of the water towards the spot where we had
left our clothes. But some of the blacks intercepted us, and we saw one
man deliberately making off with the whole of our wearing apparel.

"Of course, when the boat's crew heard the uproar they rushed to our
assistance, but when they were about twenty yards from our assailants,
the blacks sent a volley of spears among them with such amazing effect
that every one of the sailors fell prostrate to the earth. The aim of
the blacks was wonderfully accurate.

"Some of our men, however, managed to struggle to their feet again, in a
heroic but vain endeavour to reach our side; but these poor fellows were
at once butchered in the most shocking manner by the natives, who wielded
their big waddies or clubs with the most sickening effect. Indeed, so
heart-rending and horrible was the tragedy enacted before our eyes, that
for a long time afterwards we scarcely knew what was happening to us, so
dazed with horror were we. For myself, I have a faint recollection of
being dragged across the island by the natives, headed by the hideous and
gigantic chief who afterwards claimed us as his 'wives.' We were next
put on board a large catamaran, our hands and feet having been previously
tied with hair cords; and we were then rowed over to the mainland, which
was only a few miles away. We kept on asking by signs that our clothing
might be returned to us, but the blacks tore the various garments into
long strips before our eyes, and wrapped the rags about their heads by
way of ornament. We reached the encampment of the black-fellows late
that same evening, and were at once handed over to the charge of the
women, who kept us close prisoners and--so far as we could judge-