territory of the American Union.

While we were getting under sail, Mr. M'Kay pointed out to the captain
that there was one water-cask empty, and proposed sending it ashore to
be filled, as the great number of live animals we had on board required
a large quantity of fresh water. The captain, who feared that some of
the men would desert if he sent them ashore, made an observation to that
effect in answer to Mr. M'Kay, who then proposed sending me on a canoe
which lay alongside, to fill the cask in question: this was agreed to by
the captain, and I took the cask accordingly to the nearest spring.
Having filled it, not without some difficulty, the islanders seeking to
detain me, and I perceiving that they had given me some gourds full of
salt water, I was forced also to demand a double pirogue (for the canoe
which had brought the empty cask, was found inadequate to carry a full
one), the ship being already under full sail and gaining an offing. As
the natives would not lend a hand to procure what I wanted, I thought it
necessary to have recourse to the king, and in fact did so. For seeing
the vessel so far at sea, with what I knew of the captain's disposition,
I began to fear that he had formed the plan of leaving me on the island.
My fears, nevertheless were ill-founded; the vessel made a tack toward
the shore, to my great joy; and a double pirogue was furnished me,
through the good offices of our young friend the French schoolmaster, to
return on board with my cask.

Our deck was now as much encumbered as when left New York; for we had
been obliged to place our live animals at the gangways, and to board
over their pens, on which it was necessary to pass, to work ship. Our
own numbers were also augmented; for we had taken a dozen islanders for
the service of our intended commercial establishment. Their term of
engagement was three years, during which we were to feed and clothe