At length we steer for the shore, where we see several Indians collected. They retire as we draw near. We again send Taro and Charlie on shore with looking-glasses and trinkets; they go not very willingly. The savages stop, and cast at us glances of suspicion. Then they make a rush forward, seize all the articles they can lay hands on, and again run off. Our two interpreters now come down shaking their heads, and saying that there is no hope of trading with these savages. Still Phineas will not give up the attempt; he has seen the pearls, and is longing for them. "Why, such a necklace as that would be worth a hundred pounds, or more," he exclaims. "We must have the fellow dead or alive." He stands up in the boat with his piece, ready to fire. I sternly draw him back, crying out, indignantly: "I will not allow murder to be committed; for murder it would be, if the men were ten times more savage than they are. They have souls immortal as ours, which we have no right to drive out of their bodies before their time." "Souls or not, mate, you have made me lose my pearl necklace," says the supercargo, angrily. "It were better to lose a dozen pearl necklaces, or all the pearls the bottom of the sea can produce, than commit a great crime," I answer, more hotly than usual; and then, knowing that another sort of argument would have more weight with such a man, I added, "Remember, too, we are yet inside the trap. If we kill one of these people, their countrymen may assemble at the entrance, and slaughter every one of us."