CHASE AFTER STOLEN GOODS.

I found that Ruston was wounded slightly in the knee by the spear which the native had thrown, and we had also sustained a severe loss in the bags which they had carried off as one of them contained fourteen fishing-lines and several other articles of great value to us in our present position.  I therefore determined upon a pursuit in the hopes of recovering these, and taking four or five men I gave chase.  The long-legged natives had however considerably the advantage of us both in bottom, wind, and cunning; and whenever they found we gained at all upon them they strewed a few articles out of the bags upon the ground, and these it took us some time to collect; and in this manner, alternately running and stopping to pick things up, I continued the pursuit until near sunset.  At this time three of us had completely outrun the rest of our party, who were far behind; the natives had also latterly made great headway, so that they were rapidly dropping us astern; we also had recovered everything but the fishing-lines (which however we could but ill spare).  I therefore determined to collect my forces and return to the boats.  In the ardour of pursuit I found we had come five or six miles, and it had been for some time dark when we again reached the encampment.

The natives in this attack were far too few in number to render it a very formidable affair for from five-and-twenty to thirty savages, armed alone with spears, could have availed very little against eleven resolute Europeans with fire-arms in their hands.  The native who had stolen so near us was however most decidedly a noble and daring fellow:  their object evidently was to possess themselves of our property; and we had had one man wounded in the fray, and had lost some fishing-lines, without gaining any reparation.  I therefore felt well assured that they would pay us another visit; and thus, to the misfortunes we were already suffering under, we had the new one added of being on hostile terms with the surrounding aborigines.  It moreover set in to rain hard and to blow fresher than ever just as we reached the boats.  I saw that all that could be done for Ruston had been attended to, and then, lying down, tried to forget my troubles in sleep.

CONTINUED DETENTION FROM FOUL WEATHER.  DESOLATE AND GLOOMY SITUATION.

From this period up to Friday the 15th of March the wind blew strong from the southward, accompanied with such a heavy sea and tremendous surf that to move was impossible.  Our position was very trying; inactivity, under the circumstances in which we were situated, was most difficult to support; for the mind, ever prone to prey upon itself, does so far more when you are compelled to sit down and patiently submit to misfortunes against which there are no means of resistance.  Such was the state to which we were now reduced, on a barren and unknown coast which the foot of civilized man had never before trodden: