MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



437 



We had fortunately presened some 

 loose powder drawn from the up- 

 per-deck guns after the ship had 

 struck, (for the magazine was 

 under water in five minutes) and 

 the marines, by hammering their 

 buttons round, and by rolling up 

 pieces of broken bottles in cartrid- 

 ges, did their best to supply them- 

 selves with a sort of langrage 

 which would have some effect at 

 close quarters, and strict orders 

 were given not to throw away a 

 single shot until sure of their aim. 

 Mr. Cheffy, the carpenter, and his 

 crew, under the direction of the 

 captain, were busied in forming a 

 sort of abattis, by felling trees, 

 and enclosing in a circular shape 

 the ground we occupied ; and; by 

 interweaving loose branches with 

 the stakes driven in among these, 

 a breast-work was constriicted, 

 which afforded us some cover, and 

 must naturally impede the pro- 

 gress ofany enemy unsupplied with 

 artillery. That part of the island 

 we had landed on was a narrow 

 ridge, not above musket-shot 

 across, bounded on one side by the 

 sea, and on the other by a cieek, 

 extending upwards of a mile in- 

 land, and nearly communicating 

 with the sea at its head. Our hill 

 was the outer point of this tongue, 

 and its shape might be very well 

 represented by an inverted pvmch- 

 bowl : the circle on which the 

 bowl stands would then shew the 

 fortification ; and the space within 

 it our citadel. 



It appeared by the report of 

 scouts, a shoit time after the first 

 account, that the Malays had not 

 actually landed, but had taken 

 possession of some rocks near this 

 point, on wliich they deposited a 

 quantity of plunder brought from 



the ship ; and during the day they 

 continued making these predatory 

 trips. 



In the evening all hands wert^ 

 mustei-ed under arms, and a mot- 

 ley group they presented j it was 

 gratifying, however, to observe, 

 that, rude eis were their imple- 

 ments of defence, there seemed to 

 be no want of spirit to use them if 

 occasion offered. The officers and 

 men were now marshalled regu- 

 laily into the different divisions 

 and companies, their various posts 

 assigned, and other arrangements 

 made. An officer and party were 

 ordered to take charge of the boats 

 for the night, and they were hauled 

 closer Into the landing-place. An 

 alarm which occurred during the 

 night shewed the benefit of these 

 regulations, for, on a sentry chal- 

 lenging a noise among the bushes, 

 every one was at his post in an 

 instant, and without the least con- 

 fusion. 



On Saturday morning 22d, some 

 of the Malay boats approached the 

 place where ours were moored j 

 and, with the view of ascertaining 

 whether they had any inclination 

 to comnumicate on friendly terms, 

 the gig with an officer and four 

 hands, pulled gently towards them, 

 waving the bougli of a tree (a 

 general symbol of peace every 

 where), shewing the usual demon- 

 strations of friendship, and of a 

 desire to speak to them ; but all 

 was vain, for they were merely 

 reconnoitring our position, and 

 immediately pulled back to their 

 rock. 



The second lieutenant (Mr, Hay) 

 was now ordered with the barge, 

 cutter, and gig, armed in the best 

 way we could, to proceed to the 

 ship, and regain possoesion of her, 



either 



