Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/186

 Just before sunset six large war-canoes came to anchor behind a point about a mile ahead of the ship. Our guns were loaded with canister and a stand of grape and  the tompions were left out. The battle-lanterns were lighted and placed between the guns. During the night many natives were seen skulking about the observatory. The night passed, however, without any disturbance, except a false alarm caused by the accidental discharge  of a musket in the hands of one of the sentinels, John  Van Cleck, a big Dutchman, who swore that "the gun  was not loaded," and that "it went off itself." In the morning we commenced breaking up the observatory,  and carried all the instruments on board ship.