Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/181

Rh Their latitude was about seven degrees north of the equator.

However, they had not been undiscovered, and on the third day, just about daybreak, were visited by a canoe, with several natives. At a safe distance the little craft stopped. The wrecked sailors, knowing that any sign of hostility would be only more dangerous to themselves, now beckoned them to come on, which they cautiously did until within a short distance, and in shallow water, when the canoe stopped, two men, fore and aft, held the craft in position, and the rest leaped in the water and came ashore. Their object, however, was not to offer relief to the shipwrecked men, and of these they took little notice, but raced about wildly, almost like animals, searching for any wreckage or provisions that might be found. In this they were disappointed, as all the sailor's provisions had been cached. Then they began to cry to each "Moribite uhle"—go to the ship. Their object was simply wreckage, and no doubt these American sailors of the Mentor were not the first unfortunates that had enriched, by their misfortunes, this piratical race.

The natives made no attempt to molest them; but had hardly begun their cry to go to the ship, before one of the sailors cried out: "Look yonder, look yonder;" and raising their eyes they saw now appearing the entire lagoon covered with a fleet of native canoes. They at once saw that these people meant no good, and ran their boat out into deep water and tried to be in readiness for defense. But in a few moments they were surrounded by canoes of all sizes, which were occupied by a full body of natives, mostly naked, and brandishing the cruel native spears, which are long handled and bearing at the end a hardwood point, with three sharp barbs run-