About the same time, Rutherford detected one of the natives in the act
of stealing the dipson lead,--"which, when I took it from him," says he,
"he grinded his teeth and shook his tomahawk at me."

"The captain," he continues, "now paid the chief for fetching the water,
giving him two muskets, and a quantity of powder and shot, arms and
ammunition being the only articles these people will trade for.

"There were at this time about three hundred of the natives on the deck,
with Aimy, the chief, in the midst of them; every man was armed with a
green stone, slung with a string around his waist. This weapon they call
a 'mery,'[G] the stone being about a foot long, flat, and of an oblong
shape, having both edges sharp, and a handle at the end. They use it for
the purpose of killing their enemies, by striking them on the head.

"Smoke was now observed rising from several of the hills; and the
natives appearing to be mustering on the beach from every part of the
bay, the captain grew much afraid, and desired us to loosen the sails,
and make haste down to get our dinners, as he intended to put to sea
immediately. As soon as we had dined, we went aloft, and I proceeded to
loosen the jib. At this time, none of the crew was on deck except the
captain and the cook, the chief mate being employed in loading some
pistols at the cabin table.

"The natives seized this opportunity of commencing an attack upon the
ship. First, the chief threw off the mat which he wore as a cloak, and,
brandishing a tomahawk in his hand, began 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