While a sailor was stationed, by the order of the captain, on the port side of the ship, with orders to allow none to come aboard, and while he, sword in hand, was absent-mindedly looking at some of the canoes of the islanders--a sort of little boat all made of one piece, in which they sail--one of the natives plunged under the water and swam to where he was, quite unconscious of anything of the sort, and without his seeing it, snatched the sword from his hand and swam back with it.

At the cry of the sailor, proclaiming the trick practiced on him by the islander, several soldiers with their arquebuses were stationed to shoot the native when he should emerge from the water.

The islander on seeing this emerged from the water, holding up his hands, and making signs that he had nothing in them.

For this reason those who were on the point of shooting him refrained.

After a few moments of rest, the native dived once more, and swam under water, until out of range of the arquebuses--where, assured of safety, he took the sword from between his legs where he had hidden it, and commenced to make passes with it, jeering the while at our men whom he had deceived so easily.