to them; but frequent incursions were made over the ridge, which was the barrier of his dominion, by the savages beyond it, and one by one the white men were slain, until John Maury and a man named Baker alone remained alive.
They adopted every precaution against surprise, and the friendly king gave them notice of coming danger when he could. With the handiness of sailor men, they found four coconut trees growing together, and in their tops made their home, not larger than a frigate's maintop, yet sufficient for their resting place by day or night, and safe from discovery. A rope ladder was the means of ascent, and descent, for this curious residence.
One bright morning, two years since their eyes had seen such a sight, a large square rigged ship stood into the anchorage, and soon to their joy she displayed the American flag. Lt. John Maury and Baker came down from their perch, took a canoe, and pulled for the ship. [1] Their costume was as scant as that of the naked savages, who also sought to board this man of war, and the whole party were ordered by the sentry to keep off.
Maury returned to his refuge in the coconut tree. Very soon, however, a launch from the frigate was sent ashore, and a group of officers came within hail, amongst whom Maury recognized an old shipmate, Lieutenant McKnight. At his hail the party looked up, and were astonished to see two white men, strayed like Adam before his fall, descending from the tree-tops.
They were warmly greeted, taken on board the United States frigate 'Essex,' Captain David Porter commanding, were enrolled on the ship's books, and rated and equipped according to their rank.
Porter assembled his recent prizes in this anchorage, and refitted and watered his ship; he then pursued that famous
- ↑ See Porter's 'Journal of the Cruise of the '"Essex"'
