Before the ship's boat could be launched, two men were seen to climb the top of the steep cliff which almost overhung the narrow beach. They, however, seemed to find no difficulty in their dangerous path, though each carried on his shoulders a light canoe. The strangers wore some kind of clothing, but even through the captain's glass it was impossible to tell of what race they were. Dark against the clear sky, the two figures were seen for awhile to stand gazing steadfastly toward the ship, and then bounded like goats down the rugged face of the rock, and soon launched their canoes fearlessly in the angry surf. "Haul the boat up, we'll wait and receive these natives on board," says the captain; and in a few minutes one of the canoes was under the bows of the ship. "Come alongside," shouted a sailor, trusting that his signs and gestures would explain the meaning of his English words. "We have no boat-hook to hold on by," cried in answer the foremost of their visitors. No words can explain the surprise with which the captain and the whole crew listened to these words spoken in pure English by the supposed savage. They looked at him and at each other, but no one spoke till the eager voice was again heard from the boat. "Won't you heave us a rope now?" A sailor seized and flung one end of a coil of rope, and in a moment their strange visitor had seized it and climbed fearlessly on deck. He was a tall man, young, and almost English-looking, save that his complexion was tinged by the hot sun of his country; and his whole face and bearing were those of an educated and civilized man. His dress was a light vest and short trousers, while his palm-leaf hat was adorned with a bunch of brilliant feathers. "Who are you?" asked the astonished captain, gazing at this strange and unexpected apparition. "I am Thursday October Christian, the son of the mutineer, and there," pointing to the other canoe, now close to the ship, "is Edward Young." The mystery was now explained: the ships had anchored at the island where the mutineers, long sought in vain, had taken refuge. The officers crowded round their visitors, asking question after question, of their age, the number of people on the island, their habits and mode of life. "Who is your king?" they asked. "Why, King George, to be sure," replied Christian, quickly. "Have you been taught any religion?" "Yes," they replied, "a very good religion; that which the Bible teaches." The young men were led into every part of the ship; they looked with great interest at the many things they saw around them, the uses and even the names of which were unknown to them, and their questions showed much thought and intelligence. In the course of the morning they were led to the stalls where the ship's cows were kept. "What immense goats!" cried Christian; "I did not know there were any of such a size."