’And he looked with regret at Mr. Brooke’s party of natives in their canoes, and observed, “Ah! my fine fellows, if your friend was not here I’d have the whole lot of you:  what a haul!”

’He said the other ship was from Queensland, and had a Government agent on board, of whom he spoke with evident awe.

’On Mr. Brooke’s return, Takua and Dikea were furbishing up old guns which some incautious person on board the “Curacoa” had given them, and they were disappointed to find that there could be no attack on the vessel.’

She, however, was scarcely gone before, at the other end of the island, Vara, four out of five men were killed by a boat’s crew.  The survivor, Sorova, told Mr. Brooke that he and one companion had gone out in one canoe, and three more in another, to a vessel that lay near the shore.  He saw four blacks in her, as he thought Ysabel men.  A white man came down from the boat, and sat in the bow of Sorova’s canoe, but presently stood up and capsized both canoes, catching at Sorova’s belt, which broke, and the poor fellow was thus enabled to get away, and shelter himself under the stern of the canoe, till he could strike out for land; but he saw a boat come round from the other side of the ship, with four men—­whether whites or light-coloured islanders was not clear—­but they proceeded to beat his companions with oars, then to fall on them with tomahawks, and finally cut off their heads, which were taken on board, and their bodies thrown to the sharks.

These men evidently belonged to that lowest and most horrible class of men-stealers, who propitiate the chiefs by assisting them in head-hunting.

Of course the island was full of rage, and on the 26th again another brig was in sight.  Spite of warning, desire to trade induced five men to put off in a canoe.  Two boats came down, and placed themselves on either side.  Mr. Brooke could not watch, but a fierce shout arose from the crowd on shore, they rushed to the great canoe house, and a war fleet was launched, Dikea standing up in the foremost, with a long ebony spear in his hand.  Fortunately they were too late:  the boats were hauled up, and the brig went off at full sail.  Whether the five were killed or carried captive is not clear.

The whole place was full of wailing.  Revenge was all the cry.  ’Let not their pigs be killed,’ said Takua; ’we will give them to Bisope, he shall avenge us.’  His brother Dikea broke out:  ’My humour is bad because Bisope does not take us about in his vessel to kill-kill these people!’

When, two days later, the ‘Southern Cross’ was unmistakeably in sight, Takua said, ’Let Bisope only bring a man-of-war, and get me vengeance on my adversaries, and I shall be exalted like—­like—­like our Father above!’

The residence of Mr. Brooke in the island, and the testimony of their own countrymen to the way of life in Norfolk Island, had taught the Floridians to separate the Bishop from their foes; but it could scarcely be thus in places where confidence in him had not been established.