Supported on each side I had just strength to direct them to turn towards our savage enemies: who were hurrying on in a long file, shouting and waving their clubs, and were now only about thirty yards off.

Our turning, momentarily checked their advance, whilst their force increased.

During these very few and awfully anxious moments, a party, headed by Lieutenant Emery, hastened over the reef to our support.

Another moment, and ours would have been the fate of so many other explorers; the hand of the savage almost grasped our throats--we should have fallen a sacrifice in the cause of discovery, and our bones left to moulder on this distant shore, would have been trodden heedlessly underfoot by the wandering native.
At the sight of Lieutenant Emery's party, the natives flew with the utmost rapidity, covering their flight, either from chance or skill, by my party; in a moment the air, so lately echoing with their ferocious yells, was silent, and the scene of their intended massacre, as lonely and deserted as before! I was soon got down to the boat, lifted over the ship's side, and stretched on the poop cabin table, under the care of Mr.Bynoe, who on probing the wound gave me a cheering hope of its not proving fatal.

The anxiety with which I watched his countenance, and listened to the words of life or death, the reader may imagine, but I cannot attempt to describe.