They Were All Variously Armed With Muskets, Bows And Arrows, Knives, Cutlasses, Barbs, Long Spears, And Other Instruments Of Destruction;

And as they gazed upon this band of wild men, with their ferocious looks and hostile appearance, which was not

A little heightened on observing the weapons in their hands, they felt a very uneasy kind of sensation, and wished themselves safe out of their hands.

Their party was at this time much scattered, but fortunately they could see them coming to them at some distance, and they had time to collect their men. They resolved, however, to prevent bloodshed, if possible; their numbers were too few to leave them a chance of escaping by any other way. The natives were approaching fast, and had nearly arrived close to the palm tree. Not a moment was to be lost. They desired Pascoe and all their men to follow behind them at a short distance, with the loaded muskets and pistols; and they enjoined them strictly not to fire, unless they were first fired at. One of the natives, who proved to be the chief, was perceived to be a little in advance of his companions, and throwing down their pistols, which they had snatched up in the first moment of surprise, the two Landers walked very composedly and unarmed towards him. As they approached him, they made all the signs and motions they could with their arms, to deter him and his people from firing on them. His quiver was dangling at his side, his bow was bent, and an arrow, which was pointed at their breasts, already trembled on the string, when they were within a few yards of his person. This was a highly critical moment - the next might be their last. But the hand of Providence averted the blow, for just as the chief was about to pull the fatal cord, a man that was nearest him rushed forward and stayed his arm. At that instant the Landers stood before him, and immediately held forth their hands; all of them trembling like aspen leaves; the chief looked up full in their faces, kneeling on the ground; light seemed to flash from his dark rolling eyes; his body was convulsed all over, as though he was enduring the utmost torture, and with a timorous, yet indefinable expression of countenance, in which all the passions of human nature were strangely blended, he drooped his head, eagerly grasped their proffered hands, and burst into tears. This was a sign of friendship, harmony followed, and war and bloodshed were thought of no more. Peace and friendship now reigned amongst them, and the first thing that they did was, to lift the old chief from the ground, and convey him to their encampment.

The behaviour of their men afforded them no little amusement, now that the danger was past. Pascoe was firm to his post, and stood still with his musket pointed at the chief's breast during the whole of the time.

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