They all accepted engagements from the whites, on the distinct understanding that they were to be away about three moons.

Instead, they were practically kidnapped by force, and treated--or rather ill-treated--as slaves for several years.
First of all, the poor creatures were taken to an island in the vicinity of North-West Cape, off which the pearling fleet lay.

During the voyage to the pearling grounds the water supply on board ran short, and so great was the suffering among the blacks--they were kept on the shortest of short commons, as you may suppose--that they plotted to steal a cask of the precious fluid for their own use.

The vessel was quite a small one, and the water was kept in the hold.

But the two or three whites who formed the crew forcibly prevented the black-fellows from carrying out their plan.