*774* J une. tity, that we eat of them every day for feveral weeks afterwards
in dead of bifcuit. Arms and utenfils, the ufual articles
of trade of thefe iflanders, had likewife been plentifully
fold, efpecially by feveral people who came in large
double failing canoes from the neighbouring iilands.
•While we were at dinner, one of our fhipmates was obferved
■ on fhore, furrounded by a great croud of natives; but no
further notice was taken of him, though he made fignals
for a boat. One of our trading boats, which was fent
alhore as foon as the crew had dined, came near the place
where he was ftationed, and took him on board. It proved
to be our furgeon, Mr. Patton, who had been in the mod
imminent danger of lofing his life, by being carelefsly left
upon the ifland without fupport. From his account it is very
plain, that even among thefe kind and well-difpofed people,
there were fome villains who greatly refembled the
wretches that infeft our civilized countries. He had left
the landing place, and engaging a Angle native in his fer-
vice for a few beads, had rambled over great part of the
ifland. His fuccefs in fliooting was confiderable ; the native
carried eleven ducks, with which he returned to the fandy
cove. The boats having already left that place, he was
fomething difconcerted, and the croud prefled about him,
confcious that he was in their power. He walked therefore
to the rocky fhore, juft abreaft of the fhip, where our
people faw him. In going thither, the man who carried
the
the ducks endeavoured to drop fome of them; but Mr.
Patton luckily turning about at that moment, he picked
them up again. The croud now prefled clofe about him,
and feveral of the men threatened him with jagged fpears,
whilft nothing but the appearance of his fowling-piece kept
them in awe. Several women were fet on by the men, to
draw him off his guard, by a thoufand lafcivious geftures
and attitudes; but his lituation was of too ferious a nature
to permit him to attend to them. After fome time a canoe
arrived from the fhip, and Mr. Patton agreed with the
owner to carry him aboard for a nail, the laft which he
had left. Juft as he was ftepping into the canoe, they
fnatched his fowling-piece from him, took all his ducks
except three, and fent away the canoe. He was greatly
aftonifhed and alarmed, and refolved to return to the top of
the rock, where he expedited to be more eafily diftinguifhed
from the fhip, from whence he hoped for afliftance. The
natives now laid afide all referve, and began to pluck at his
cloaths. He readily fuffered them to fnatch his cravat and
handkerchief; but they alfo feized his coat, and refumed
their threatening geftures with fuch violence, that he expedited
every moment would be his laft. His anxiety and
agony cannot well be painted. He put his hands in all
his pockets to fearch for fome inftrument, a knife or the
like, with which to defend himfelf; he found nothing but
a wretched tooth-pick-cafe; he opened it, and held it out t
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