In my exasperation I broke one musket against a tree, and determined to do so with all the others, but relented, satisfying myself with emptying the priming and dipping the guns in the river. I then returned to the canoe, taking with me also the old man whose arm was cut, and whose musket I had broken. He writhed and groaned as much as if his arm had been amputated. It certainly was cut to the bone, and perhaps a little beyond; but if taken care of it would probably not be attended with serious consequences, although the large blood-vessel on the upper part of the wrist, running in the direction of the thumb, was separated. I had in my carpet-bag fortunately two bandages, one of which I used, with some native cotton, to dress it. This done, I resolved to punish my canoemen, which measure I put into execution with a good stick. I also obliged them to ascend the river against their former determination. This I did more with a view to enforce obedience, than with any wish to visit the town, still distant six miles. To some it may seem hard to compel individuals to accompany me against their own free will; but it must be borne in mind that their services were entirely voluntary; but they expected, being alone, and when they had me on the lake, to kill time, and obtain pay for their own pleasure. After we had proceeded about a mile, I observed two canoes ahead, containing the other six fishermen and the boys. They had fled to their canoes, which had been moored a short distance above the encampment. After advancing another mile, I ordered the canoe to be brought round, and commence our descent. This gave great satisfaction to the whole of my party; but very different were the feelings of my prisoner, who till now was, doubtless, calculating upon ample revenge for his wound and the loss of his musket. The other canoes, finding that we were returning, returned also, but could not be induced to come near to us. In passing the place of the encampment, my prisoner begged to be landed, but I was determined to put him to a little more inconvenience, and carried him a considerable distance farther down, landing him on the worst part of the bank I could select. FOOTNOTES: [12] This river is called the Haho, and the town Hahotia. CHAPTER VIII.