About ten o’clock
Then we breakfasted , and having filled every available receptacle with water , which took us a long time as these included a large tank that supplied the bath , so that we might have at least a week 's supply in case of siege , we went on deck and debated what we should do . In the end we determined to stop where we were and await events , because , as I pointed out , it was necessary that we should discover whether these natives were hostile or friendly . In the former event we could hold our own on the ship , whereas away from it we must be overwhelmed ; in the latter there was always time to move inland . About ten o'clock when we were seated on stools smoking , with our guns by our side -- for here , owing to the overhanging cliff in which it will be remembered the prow of the ship was buried , we could not be reached by missiles thrown from above -- we saw numbers of the islanders advancing upon us along the beach on either side . They were preceded as before by women who bore food on platters and in baskets . These people , all talking excitedly and laughing after their fashion , stopped at a distance , so we took no notice of them . Presently Marama , clad in his feather cloak , and again accompanied by priests or medicine-men , appeared walking down the path on the cliff face , and , standing below , made salutations and entered into a conversation with us of which I give the substance -- that is , so far as we could understand it .