"on the fourth day of the sail, a large canoe was descried, which seemed to have touched at a low isle of corals. he steered away from it; but the savage craft bore down on him; and soon the voice of steelkilt hailed him to heave to, or he would run him under water. the captain presented a pistol. with one foot on each prow of the yoked war-canoes, the lakeman laughed him to scorn; assuring him that if the pistol so much as clicked in the lock, he would bury him in bubbles and foam.