and unexpectedly upon a sight like this completely
sickened me of rambling, at least for that day, and I hastened back to
Mr. Butler's, eager to inquire into the particulars of the horrid
catastrophe.

That gentleman informed me that the night of the arrival of our ship, a
chief had set one of his kookies (or slaves) to watch a piece of ground
planted with the kumara, or sweet potato, in order to prevent the hogs
committing depredations upon it. The poor lad, delighted with the
appearance of our vessel, was more intent upon observing her come to an
anchor than upon guarding his master's property, and suffered the hogs to
ramble into the plantation, where they soon made dreadful havoc. In the
midst of this trespass and neglect of orders his master arrived. The
result was certain; he instantly killed the unfortunate boy with a blow
on the head from his stone hatchet, then ordered a fire to be made, and
the body to be dragged to it, where it was roasted and consumed.

It was now time to return on board, and we walked down to the beach for
that purpose, but it was quite low water, and the boat was full two
hundred feet off. She lay at the end of a long, slimy, muddy flat, and
while we were debating how we should manage to get to her, the native
chiefs took up the females in their arms, as though they were children,
and, in spite of all their blushes and remonstrances, carried them to the
boat and placed them safely in it, each seeming to enjoy the task. They
then returned and gave us a passage, walking as easily with us upon their
backs as if we had been no heavier than so many muskets. We took care not
to shock the feelings of the females by letting them know the tragedy so
lately acted in the village, or horrify them by telling them that one of
their carriers was the murderer! It would have been difficult to have
made them believe that such a noble-looking and good-natured fellow had
so lately imbrued his hands in the blood of a fellow creature.

We had now been lying here two days, and the curiosity of the people did
not diminish, nor were our visitors less numerous. Parties were hourly
coming up and down the river to pay their respects to our captain, and
the report of there being numerous passengers on board greatly increased
their desire to hold intercourse with us. They all appeared anxious to
make themselves useful, some chopping wood for our cook, others assisting
the steward, in order to get what might be left on