o injure the poor wretches. I aim instead at the trees. The white
splinters start off on either side from a palm-tree struck by the shot.
The effect is like magic, the Indians' threatening shrieks are changed
to cries of terror, and in hot haste they dash back through the surf
towards the shore. Still we are left in doubt as to the fate of our
friends. It is clear that we cannot land to go to their assistance.
But I resolve not to give them up. We rest on our oars watching the
beach. At length we see a concourse of people coming over a ridge of
sand which shuts out the view of the interior from us. Golding and Taro
appear in the midst of them. The savages seem to be paying them great
respect, and Golding bows with infinite condescension now on one side,
now on the other. Canoes are launched, they step into them, and the
obedient natives come paddling off to us through the surf. Golding
steps on board and signs to the Indians to return. "Now, Harvey, get on
board as fast as we can," says he. "It has been a question in my mind
all day whether we were to be treated as gods, or to be cooked and
eaten; and even now I don't feel quite comfortable on the subject. Your
shot turned the scale in our favour, for notwithstanding all Taro's
boastings, they had no great opinion of us when they found that we could
not bring our big boat through the surf." Taro at length bethought
himself of boasting that we could make thunder and lightning, and set
off a few cartridges he had in his pocket to convince them. The effect
was considerable, but not as great as was hoped for. There was the
lightning, but the thunder was wanting. On the hill-side were some
ovens with fire in them heating. Taro looked at them suspiciously, not
quite satisfied that he might not before long be put inside one of them.
Turning about, he saw some warriors walking round and round with huge
clubs in their hands. He had no longer any doubt of their intentions.
Golding saw them also, and became not slightly uncomfortable. Just then
our gun was fired. Many of the natives fell flat on the ground, others
rushed hither and thither, while some of the braver examined the trees
which had been struck, and reported the effects of the white man's
thunder and lightning. Instead of knocking our friends on the head and
eating them as they had purposed, the savages came crouching down before
them in the most abject manner, as if they were beings altogether of a