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“We have had no suspicion that anything of the sort was afoot,” he said. “You have done well to tell me of this. An attack would mean the death of scores, if not hundreds, of the Indians.”

“Captain Edwards can easily avoid all danger,” I said. “He will have only to keep a strong guard on shore and to prohibit any gathering of canoes near the ship.”

The surgeon then told me that he had received from Tuahu the manuscripts of my dictionary and grammar.

“I have your private Journal as well,” he added. “Would you permit me to look into this latter sometime, or does it contain matters which you wish no one to see?”

I told him that it contained nothing but a day-to-day account of my experiences from the time of leaving England until the arrival of the Pandora, which he was welcome to read, if he chose.

“I shall appreciate that privilege,” he replied. “Your Journal will be of great value to you in later years. If you like, I will take care of all these papers for you. They can go into the bottom of my small medicine chest, and there they will be certain of reaching England safely. With respect to the dictionary, Captain Edwards knows of the great interest Sir Joseph Banks takes in it, and you are to be permitted to work on it during the passage home.”