Ned and Reuben Gale were of the party, the other two being, to their great discontent, left behind in the ship.
After the barriques had been filled with water, the fires lit for cooking, and the labors of the day over, Ned and Reuben started for a ramble in the island, which was of a goodly extent.

When they had proceeded some distance in the wood, picking fruit as they went, and looking at the butterflies and bright birds, they were suddenly seized and thrown upon the ground by some men, who sprang out from the underwood through which they had passed.

They were too surprised at this sudden attack to utter even a cry; and, being safely gagged and bound, they were lifted by their captors, and carried away into the interior of the island.
After an hour's passage they were put down in the heart of a thick grove of trees and, looking round, saw they were surrounded by a large number of natives.

One of these, a person evidently in authority, spoke to them in a language which they did not understand.

They shook their heads, and after several times attempting to make them comprehend, Ned caught the words Espanolos.
To this he vehemently shook his head in denial, which caused quite an excitement among his hearers.