Fearing
they would attempt to take possession of my pinnace, I returned
speedily, and seized a loaded musket, though I determined to use it only
to defend my own life, or the pinnace. I stood on the deck in an
attitude as bold and imposing as I could command; but I did not succeed
in intimidating them. They leaped, one after the other, on deck, and
surrounded me, uttering loud cries. I could not discover whether they
were cries of joy or of fury; but I showed no fear, and addressed them
in a friendly tone, in some words from Capt. Cook's vocabulary; but they
did not seem to comprehend me, neither could I understand any of theirs
except _ecroue_ (father), which they frequently repeated, and
_tara-tauo_ (woman). One of them had Fritz's gun, from which I concluded
they were of the party that had carried off Jack. I took it, and showing
him mine, endeavoured to make him understand that it also belonged to
me. He thought I wished to exchange, and readily offered to return it,
and take mine. This would not have suited me; Fritz's gun was
discharged, and I could not let them have mine loaded. To prevent
accident, surrounded as I was, I decided to give them a fright, and
seeing a bird flying above us, I took aim so correctly, that my shot
brought down the bird, a blue pigeon.
Pages:
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421