444 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



We are now strongly fenced in, 

 and our position in all respects so 

 good, that, armed as we are, we 

 ought to make a formidable de- 

 fence against even regular troops : 

 what then would be thought of us, 

 if we allowed ourselves to be sur- 

 prised by a set of naked savages, 

 witli their spears and creeses ? It 

 is true they have swivels in their 

 boats, but they cannot act here. 

 I have not observed that they 

 have any matchlocks or muskets ; 

 but, if they have, so have we. I 

 do not wish to deceive you as to 

 the means of resistance in our 

 power. When we were first thrown 

 together on shore, we were al- 

 most defenceless ; seventy-tive ball- 

 cartridges only could be mustered : 

 we have now sixteen hundred ! 

 They cannot, I believe, send up 

 more than five hundred men ; but, 

 with two hundred such as now 

 stand around me, I do not fear a 

 thousand, nay, fifteen hundred of 

 them ! 1 have the fullest confi- 

 dence we shall beat themj the 

 pike-men standing firm, we can 

 give them such a volley of mus- 

 ketry as they will be little pre- 

 pared for ; and, when we find 

 they are thrown into confusion, 

 we'll sally out among them, chase 

 them into the water, and ten to 

 one but we secure their vessels. 

 Let every man, therefore, be on 

 the alert with his arms in his 

 hands j and, should these barba- 

 rians this night attempt our hill, 

 I trust we shall convince them 

 that they are dealing with Bri- 

 tons."' Perhaps three jollier hurras 

 were never given than at the con- 

 clusion of this short but well- 

 timed address. Tlie woods fairly 

 echoed again ; whilst the piquet 

 at the cove, and those stationed at 



the wells, the instant it oaught 

 their ear, instinctively joined their 

 sympathetic cheers to the general 

 chorus. 



There was something like unity 

 and concord in such a sound, (one 

 neither resembling the feeble 

 shout nor savage yell,) which, 

 rung in the ears of these gentle- 

 men, no doubt had its effect ; for 

 about this time (8 P.M.) they 

 were observed making signals 

 with lights to some of their tribe 

 behind the islet. If ever seamen 

 or marines had a strong induce- 

 ment to fight, it was on the pre- 

 sent occasion, for every thing 

 conduced to animate them. The 

 feeling excited by a savage, cruel, 

 and inhospitable aggression on the 

 part of the Malays, — an aggi'ession 

 adding calamity to misfortune, — 

 roused every mind to a spirit of 

 just revenge ; and the appeal now 

 made to them on the score of na- 

 tional character was not likely to 

 let that feeling cool. That they 

 might come, seemed to be the anxi- 

 ous wi«h of every heart. After a 

 slender but cheerful repast, the 

 men lay down as usual upon their 

 arms, whilst the captain remained 

 with those on guard to superin- 

 tend his arrangements. An alarm 

 during the night shewed the effect 

 of preparation on the people* 

 minds, for all like lightning were 

 at their posts, and returned growl- 

 ing and disappointed because the 

 alarm was false. 



Day-light, on Monday the 3d, 

 discovered the pirates exactly in 

 the same position in front of us ; 

 ten more vessels having joined 

 them during the night, making 

 their number now at least six 

 hundred men. " The plot began 

 to thicken," and our situation be- 



CWQf 



