Chapter Six - Page 2

stick a
gridiron, and the cannibals stood ready to broil me on landing.'

The spirit of this sentiment was responded to by all hands, and
we resolved that in spite of the captain's croakings we would
make a glorious day of it.

But Toby and I had our own game to play, and we availed ourselves
of the confusion which always reigns among a ship's company
preparatory to going ashore, to confer together and complete our
arrangements. As our object was to effect as rapid a flight as
possible to the mountains, we determined not to encumber
ourselves with any superfluous apparel; and accordingly, while
the rest were rigging themselves out with some idea of making a
display, we were content to put on new stout duck trousers,
serviceable pumps, and heavy Havre-frocks, which with a Payta hat
completed our equipment.

When our shipmates wondered at this, Toby exclaimed in his odd
grave way that the rest might do, as they liked, but that he for
one preserved his go-ashore traps for the Spanish main, where the
tie of a sailor's neckerchief might make some difference; but as
for a parcel of unbreeched heathen, he wouldn't go to the bottom
of his chest for any of them, and was half disposed to appear
among them in buff himself. The men laughed at what they thought
was one of his strange conceits, and so we escaped suspicion.

It may appear singular that we should have been thus on our guard
with our own shipmates; but there were some among us who, had
they possessed the least inkling of our project, would, for a
paltry hope of reward, have immediately communicated it to the
captain.

As soon as two bells were struck, the word was passed for the
liberty-men to get into the boat. I lingered behind in the
forecastle a moment to take a parting glance at its familiar
features, and just as I was about to ascend to the deck my eye
happened to light on the bread-barge and beef-kid, which
contained the remnants of our last hasty meal. Although I had
never before thought of providing anything in the way of food for
our expedition, as I fully relied upon the fruits of the island
to sustain us wherever we might wander, yet I could not resist
the inclination I felt to provide luncheon from the relics before
me. Accordingly I took a double handful of those small, broken,
flinty bits of biscuit which generally go by the name of
'midshipmen's nuts', and thrust them into the bosom of my frock
in which same simple receptacle I had previously stowed away
several pounds of tobacco and a few yards of cotton
cloth--articles with which I intended to purchase the good-will
of the natives, as soon as we should appear among them after the
departure of our vessel.

This last addition to my