Happily, however, we received no damage, although the spears and stones fell about us very thickly, and several of the former struck the boat.

A volley of musketry was fired into the mangroves, but we could not ascertain whether any of the balls took effect, since we could not see our assailants.

A wound from one of their stone-headed weapons, from our want of surgical knowledge, must in such a climate have proved fatal, and we considered our escape truly providential.

As soon as we were out of the reach of their spears, which they continued to throw until it was of no use, we hoisted the sail, and steered round the shores of the bay.

We had not proceeded far before their canoe was observed secured to the beach by a small rope, which offered so good an opportunity of punishing these savages for their treacherous attack, that we landed and brought it away; and upon examining its contents, we found not only their clubs, but also a large quantity of bivalve shellfish, (Arca scapha ?*) so that we had not only deprived them of their boat, but of their supper, and three very formidable clubs.