rd gave a cheer as
they saw the sailors issue out from among the trees and take their
places in the boats. Half a minute later they were rowing towards the
vessel, unmolested by the natives. Mr. Ryan stood up in the stern of his
boat as soon as they were within hailing distance and shouted--"How has
it gone with you?"

"We have beaten them off, as you see," the second officer shouted back;
"but the ship was pretty nearly in their hands for a time. The captain
is killed, I am sorry to say; four of our men, and two of the
passengers. How have you done?"

"We have lost three men," Mr. Ryan replied, "and most of us are
wounded."

The boats were soon alongside, and Mr. Ryan, after hearing what had
taken place on board, related his experience. "We had got about half the
casks filled when we heard a rifle shot on board a ship, followed
directly by the yells of the black divils. I ordered the men to drop the
casks and take to their guns, but I had scarcely spoken when a volley of
spears fell among us. Two men were killed at once. I had intended to
take to the boats and come off to lend you a hand, but by the yelling
and the shower of spears I saw that the spalpeens were so thick round us
that if we had tried we should pretty well all be killed before we
could get fairly out, so I told the men to take to the trees and keep up
a steady fire whenever the natives tried to make a rush at us. I was, of
course, terribly anxious about you all at first, and I knew that if the
ship was taken they must have us all sooner or later. After the first
few shots there was silence for a time, and I feared the worst."

"The spears were flying so thick we could not stand up to fire," the
second officer put in.

"Ah! that was it. Well, I was afraid you had all been massacred, and you
may imagine how relieved I was when I heard a dropping fire of musketry
begin; I knew then that they had failed to take you by surprise. The
fire at last got so heavy I was sure that most of you had escaped the
first attack, and we then felt pretty hopeful, though I did not see how
we were to get down to the boats and get off to you. When we heard the
first cannon shot we gave a cheer that must have astonished the natives,
for we knew you must have cleared the deck of the scoundrels. I had set
a man at the edge of the trees by the water to let us know how you were
going on, and he soon shouted that the canoes were drawing off! Then we
heard the big canoe was sunk