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gan a war-song, when all the rest immediately threw off their mats likewise, and, being entirely naked, began to dance with such violence, that I thought they would have stove in the ship's deck.

The captain, in the meantime, was leaning against the companion, when one of the natives went unperceived behind him, and struck him three or four blows on the head with a tomahawk, which instantly killed him. The cook, on seeing him attacked, ran to his assistance, but was immediately murdered in the same manner. I now sat down with tears in my eyes, and trembling with terror.

I next saw the chief mate come running up the companion ladder, but before he reached the deck, he was struck on the back of the neck, as the captain and the cook had been. He fell with the blow, but did not die immediately. A number of the natives now rushed in at the cabin door, while others jumped down through the skylight, and others were employed in cutting away some of the rigging.

At the same time, four of our crew jumped overboard off the foreyard, but were picked up by some canoes that were coming from the

shore, and immediately bound hand and foot. The natives now mounted the rigging, and drove the rest of the crew down, all of whom were made prisoners. One of the chiefs beckoned to me to come to him, which I immediately did, and surrendered myself.

We were then put altogether into a large canoe, our hands being tied; and the New Zealanders searching us, took from us our knives, pipes, tobacco-boxes, and various other articles. The two dead bodies, and the wounded mate, were thrown into the canoe along with us. The mate groaned terribly, and seemed in great agony, the tomahawk having cut two inches deep into the back of his neck; and all the while one of the natives, who sat in the canoe with us, kept licking the blood from the wound with his tongue

Meantime, a number of women who had been left in the ship had jumped overboard, and were swimming to the shore, after having cut the vessel's cable, so that she drifted, and ran aground on the bar near the mouth of the river. Many of the canoes went to the land loaded with plunder from the ship; and numbers of

the natives quarrelled about the division of the spoil, and fought and slew each other.

While all this was going on, we were detained in the canoe; but at last, when the sun was set, they conveyed us on shore to one of the villages, where they tied us by the hands to several small trees. The mate had expired before we got on shore, so that there now remained only twelve of us alive.

A number of large fires were kindled on the beach, for the purpose of giving light to the canoes, which were employed all night in going backward and forward between the shore and the ship, although it rained the greater part of the time.

About ten o'clock in the morning the savages set fire to her; after which they all mustered together on a piece of ground near the village, where they remained standing for some time; but at last they all sat down except five, who were chiefs, for whom a large ring was left vacant in the middle. The five chiefs, of whom Aimy was one, then approached the place where we were, and after they had stood consulting together for some time, Aimy released me and another, and, taking us into the

middle of the ring, made signs for us to sit down, which we did.

In a few minutes, the other four chiefs came also in the ring, bringing along with them four more of our men, who were made to sit down beside us. The chiefs now walked backward and forward in the ring with their merys in their hands, and continued talking together for sometime, but we understood nothing of what they said.

At length, one of the chiefs spoke to one of the natives who was seated on the ground, and the latter immediately rose, and, taking his tomahawk in his hand, went and killed the other six men who were tied to the trees. They groaned several times as they were struggling in the agonies of death, and at every groan the natives burst out into great fits of laughter.

We could not refrain from weeping for the sad fate of our comrades, not knowing, at the same time, whose turn it might be next. Many of the natives, on seeing our tears, laughed aloud, and brandished their merys at us."

Such is the account that Rutherford gives of this dreadful affair. He then proceeds to relate how the bodies of his dead companions were roasted and eaten by the savagAfter this he was taken into the interior of the island, where he was kept in captivity for ten long years. Some of his companions were killed, but the fate of the rest, he did not know.

es.

He was tattooed like the natives, and conformed as well as he could to their manners and habits, so that he might save his life. At length they made him a chief, and he married Aimy's two daughters. Still he was anxious to leave the island, and return to his native country

In January 1826, he escaped on board an American brig, and two years after, he reached England, and returned to his native town. He then published an interesting book, giving an account of his adventures, from which I have taken the preceding story.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Conclusion. Parley returns to America.

THE adventures of John Rutherford, which I have just told you, all happened since I was myself at New Zealand. I have related them to you, because they are very interesting, and because they will help you to form an idea of the strange people, among whom he was a captive.

I must now finish my own story. The British ship in which I returned, after leaving New Zealand, sailed directly for England. We had nearly reached the English chan nel, when a French vessel of war was seen at no great distance.

England and France being then at war, the two vessels approached each other, and began to fight. The cannon made a tremendous roar. The two vessels were very much cut to pieces by the cannon shot; many men were also killed on both sides. The deck of our vessel, was indeed slippery with blood.

But the French vessel was finally beaten, and we took her along with us to Portsmouth, in England. I remained in England but a short time; and soon found an opportu nity to return to my native country, in an American vessel. I reached Boston on the 11th of September, 1809.

I returned heartily weary of the sea; beside, I was now getting to be old, and from that time, I have never been upon the ocean. It is my intention, however, to tell you some 'Tales of the Sea," which may perhaps entertain you.

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