98 FIRE A CONGREVE ROCKET. 



stoutly protested, and landed in a position not 

 directly commanded by the natives. They made no 

 attempt to prevent us, but anxious to avoid hostili- 

 ties — in every event almost equally deplorable — we 

 deferred any distant search for water ; and having 

 fixed on a spot for our temporary observatory, 

 returned to the ship. 



January 27. — A strong party was sent on shore, 

 early this morning, with the necessary tools for 

 digging a well, should the search for water upon 

 the surface prove abortive. It was at once found 

 that this operation ought forthwith to be commenced, 

 and accordingly a promising spot was selected in a 

 valley not half a mile from the sea. The natives 

 mustered again in force upon the heights, and seemed 

 to watch our proceedings with the greatest interest : 

 we saw nothing of them the following day, but on 

 the third they seemed so much emboldened by our 

 inoffensive proceedings, that they approached so 

 near as to keep the party pretty much upon the 

 alert. It was, therefore, determined, lest familiarity 

 should breed contempt, to give them a hint of our 

 superiority without inflicting any injury upon their 

 persons or property ; and, accordingly, shortly after 

 dark we fired a Congreve rocket from the ship, and 

 in a direction immediately over their presumed 

 position : this had the desired effect, and our well- 

 digging operations, though ultimately unsuccessful, 

 proceeded without further annoyance. Two or 

 three days afterwards a small party came down upon 



