THE BAEK CLEONE. 521 �or third of June. He did not approach nearer than eiglit or ten miles from the wreck, but knew she waa there,^ having heard of it at Honolulu. The natives also reported that she was safe, and the chief exhibited to him Captain Nye's letter. About a week later the Timandra came in, and the two cap- tains went across the ice some eight or ten miles to the wreck. Captain Eavens seems to have urged Captain Dex- ter to unite with him in taking possession .of the vessel by putting a man on board. But this the latter declined, hav- ing had, as he said, some experience in wrecking, and being distrustful of the expediency of the measure. Considerations of fair dealing, and regard for the rights of Captain Nye, whom he knew to be on the way to save his property, seem to have formed no part of his motives, for he suggested to the natives to bring to him ail the sperm oil they could trans- port, and he would purchase it; and he endeavored to buy from tbem one of the Cleone's boats, offering for it a cask of spirits. But their honesty was proof against even this temp- tation. Their reply was: "Bye and bye Captain Nye corne; he no like it." And yet this witness does not hesitate to swear that the natives are such inveterate thieves and liars that, to use his own elegant expression, "you can't trust them as far as you can throw a buU by the tail." However mueh they may in general be addicted to habits of pilfering, their conduct shows that in this instance, at least, they knew how to be faithful to a trust. �Captain Dexter's refusai to associate himself with Captain Eavens in the enterprise was not final. He informed the latter that he intended to pursue the business of his voyage, but if on his return to the bay he found Captain Eavens still in charge, he would join him if the latter desired. Captain Eavens, having placed Fagin on board, sailed away on the same day, and was followed by Dexter a day or two after- wards. Eavens returned to the bay once or twice afterwards, and on his last trip found Nye in possession and the salvage partially effected, as bas been already related. Shortly after his arrivai, he and Captain Nye met on board the Syren. Captain Nye was naturally indignant at what he regarded as- ��� �
