They call it Emo."
"Have you been there before, then?" I inquired.
"Ay, that I have, often, and so has this schooner. 'Tis a famous island
for sandal-wood. We have taken many cargoes of it already, and have
paid for them, too; for the savages are so numerous that we dared not
try to take it by force. But our captain has tried to cheat them so
often, that they're beginnin' not to like us overmuch now. Besides, the
men behaved ill the last time we were here, and I wonder the captain is
not afraid to venture. But he's afraid o' nothing earthly, I believe."
We soon ran inside the barrier coral-reef, and let go our anchor in six
fathoms water, just opposite the mouth of a small creek, whose shores
were densely covered with mangroves and tall umbrageous trees. The
principal village of the natives lay about half a mile from this point.
Ordering the boat out, the captain jumped into it, and ordered me to
follow him. The men, fifteen in number, were well armed, and the mate
was directed to have Long Tom ready for emergencies,
"Give way, lads," cried the captain.
The oars fell into the water at the word, the boat shot from the
schooner's side, and in a few minutes reached the shore. Here, contrary
to our expectation, we were met with the utmost cordiality by Romata,
the principal chief of the island, who conducted us to his house and
gave us mats to sit upon. I observed in passing that the natives, of
whom there were two or three thousand, were totally unarmed.
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