Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/187

Rh then stripped of their shirts, and with tomahawks and axes the savages began to break the boat, their object being to secure the iron of the nails, rivets, etc. The comfort or rights, or even lives of the sailors cast upon their shore seemed to be regarded not the least, though they were admitted, stripped and humiliated as they were, into the big canoe.

It was some relief to know that they were not to be killed at once, though there was little indication of their final fate. They could simply follow the course taken by their savage captors. The canoe was immediately run into a bayou, and after proceeding a short distance stuck fast in the mud. The sailors were at once ordered by signs to jump into the water and proceed by foot. Holden was a swift runner, and finding the bottom of the bayou firm ran briskly up the nearly dry water course. Bending over on both sides were many sorts of tropical trees and under any other circumstances the scene would have been of striking delightfulness.

In about a quarter of a mile the bayou ended, and among the trees was disclosed a considerable opening. Here, in fact, was one of the principal villages of the island of Pelew. There was first encountered a broad wall, about five feet high, built of selected stones. From the surface of this, which was about the level of the land, appeared quite an extensive space, like a park, terminating at a distance in a natural bluff of about twelve feet face. Upon the flat was built the town. What most attracted the eyes of the white captives was, near the center of the area, a platform about twelve feet square, and two feet high, made of flat stones. This was the place, of public consultation, and near were seen two