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Look where they would, in every direction, this white woman and the two men were completely surrounded by an unbroken mass of wild and armed savages, who stood gazing upon the strange apparitions in their midst. Tamate, without a pause, perfectly calm, and showing no signs of fear, spoke to Pouta and his men through old Vaaburi and Iko. "We have come," he said, "so that we may be friends.
It was the Ialan word for "Peace." And again he shouted it, and yet again "Peace, Peace!" Then he cried out "Pouta!" It was the name of the chief of these savages. They had but to let the arrows from their bows and all would have been over. There was silence. What order would Pouta give? Then from the bank on their right came the sound of an answering voice.
In a flash every arrow was taken from its bow, and again not a weapon was to be seen. Iko then called out again to Pouta, and Tamate told Iko what he was to say to his friend, the savage chief. For some minutes the conversation went on. At last Iko came to the point of asking for a canoe to take them ashore. Chief Pouta hesitated.
As soon as the bow of the canoe touched the bank, Tamate, without hesitating a second, stepped out with Iko. Together they walked up to the chief Pouta, and Tamate put his arms around him in an embrace of peace. Pouta, standing on a high place, shouted to all his warriors. But none of the white people knew a word of his meaning.
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