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.