nd an inveterate boaster,
declared that, about a year since, he had embarked for Angatan with a
party of Chain Islanders, in a large double canoe, being tempted to
incur the perils of the enterprise, by the prospect of the enormous
gains that might be realised in trading with the natives, if a friendly
intercourse could once be opened with them. They had succeeded in
reaching the island; but scarcely had they set foot upon the shore, when
they were attacked by a party of the inhabitants, who issued suddenly
from the forest, and, disregarding all their friendly signs and
gestures, fell upon them, and killed the greater part of their number,
the rest making their escape with difficulty, and solely through the
courage, presence of mind, and extraordinary exertions of the narrator,
without which they must all infallibly have perished. He described the
islanders as fierce, wild-looking men, of gigantic stature, armed with
long spears, and heavy clubs set with sharks' teeth, and wearing little
or no clothing; yet, strange to tell, around the necks of these almost
naked savages were strings of the richest pearls, instead of the common
ornaments of ovula-shells.

"Our veracious Hao-man, most solemnly asseverated the entire and literal
truth of all these particulars, and declared that the island before us
was the veritable cannibal Angatan, the singular black rock enabling
him, as he said, to identify it beyond all doubt. To this story I was
myself disposed to accord about the same degree of credit as to the
adventures of Sinbad the Sailor; but it was easy to perceive that our
crew, far from being so sceptical, were firm and unhesitating believers
in Angatan, its man-eating giants, its treasures of pearl, and the whole
catalogue of marvels current respecting it.

"I was the less inclined to repose any confidence in the man's
declarations, because all the best accounts located Angatan far to the
north of Hao and Amanu, while we had reason to believe that we were now
to the south-west of them.

"Barton's curiosity and love of adventure, were stimulated by what he
had heard; perhaps, also, the hints which had been dropped respecting
rich shell and costly pearls, were not without their due share of
influence, and he declared himself desirous of taking a closer look at
this `terra incognita,' respecting which such marvellous tales were
current. Rokoa, too, no sooner heard the first whispered conjecture of
the identity of the p