imprudent step we had taken: all the natives were in commotion;
messengers were sent off to George to acquaint him with the circumstance,
and soon after we saw him, attended by all his relations, accoutred for
war; that is, quite naked, their skins oiled and painted, and armed with
muskets. Fury was in their looks and gestures as they hastened towards
our residence. We had scarcely time to shut and fasten our door, when
they made a rush to force it; and we had a severe struggle to keep them
out. At one period their rage became so ungovernable that we expected
every instant they would fire on us for preventing their entrance. The
man who was the cause of all this violence crept into our bedroom, and
kept out of sight; but he did not, at any period of the disturbance,
exhibit the least sign of fear, so accustomed are they from childhood to
these deadly frays.

When the natives found we would not give up the man, but that they must
murder us before they could accomplish their revenge, the disappointment
rendered them nearly frantic. Our situation was most critical and
appalling; and nothing can be a more convincing proof of the influence
the Europeans have obtained over them, than that, at such a moment, they
should have refrained from setting fire to or pulling down the house, and
sacrificing every one of us. George again remonstrated with us, assuring
us it was his sacred duty to destroy this man, now he was in his
territory; a duty which, he said, he owed to the memory of his murdered
relations, and which must be performed, even though he should sacrifice
his "good English friends." He cautioned us not to stand between him and
his enemy, who must die before the sun set, pointing, at the same time,
to that luminary, and ordering his slaves to kindle a large fire to roast
him on. Finally, he and his friends planted themselves all round the
house to prevent the escape of their victim. Thus were we environed with
fifty or sixty well armed and exasperated savages.

Our imprudence had given us no other alternative than either to give up
the man, who had put himself under our protection, or still to defend him
at the risk of our own lives: we instantly adopted the latter course.
Fortunately for us, a whaler was lying in the harbour, and a party of her
men were then on shore in the neighbourhood procuring water. We had sent
to them to explain the nature of our situation, and we saw them coming to
our assistance, though the num