A ship discovered at a small distance from the island.--The natives prepare to go on board of her.--Captain Barnard and Bartlet Rollins, after being severely beaten, are allowed to go with the natives in their canoes, and thus effect their escape; the rest of the Mentor's people are still forcibly detained on the island.--Their hopes of being taken on board of the same ship are suddenly blasted.--Their despondency on that disappointment.--Return of the natives from the ship; their rage, and quarrels about the division of the articles procured on board of her.--They threaten to wreak their vengeance on the Mentor's people that remained with them.--Their cruel treatment of them.--A storm destroys the cocoa-nut trees and causes a scarcity of food 95 CHAPTER IX. The natives compel the Mentor's people to be tattooed.--Description of that painful operation.--They also oblige them to pluck their beards, &c.--Another vessel passes by the island; and, afterwards, a third comes in sight and remains for three days; the Mentor's people are closely guarded at these times.--The melancholy fate of William Sedon; and the barbarous murder of Peter Andrews.--Attack on H. Holden, who is protected by one of the natives, and escapes.--B. Nute and others are protected by the female natives from the fury of the men.--Death of one of the Pelew chiefs.--Another of the Pelew people is detected in stealing, and is punished in their manner.--Death of Milton Hewlet and Charles C. Bouket; leaving now only B. Nute, H. Holden, and the other Pelew chief, named _Kobak_, who all remained in a feeble and helpless condition.--Filthy practices of the natives.--Friendship of the surviving Pelew chief 101 CHAPTER X. The feeble and exhausted condition of the survivors, Nute and Holden.--The natives consent to release them from labor, but refuse them food; and they obtain permission to leave the island in the first vessel, for a compensation to be made to the natives.--They crawl about from place to place, subsisting upon leaves, and occasionally begging a little food of the natives, for two months.--Their sudden joy at hearing of a vessel coming towards the island.--It proves to be the British barque Britannia, captain Short, bound to Canton.--They are taken on board the Britannia, November 27, 1834, and treated with the kindest attention.--Their joy and gratitude at this happy termination of their sufferings.--They gradually recover their health so far as to take passage for America, in the ship Morrison, bound for New York, where they arrive May 5, 1835.--Acknowledgments for their kind reception at New York and Boston 111 NARRATIVE, &c. CHAPTER I.