RETURN TO OLILIET. 473 



Aprilll, — At 10 A. M. we were ofFLaouran, but 

 finding the swell, occasioned by the strong breezes 

 experienced yesterday, was breaking too heavily on 

 the reef skirting the bay for a boat to land, we stood 

 on for Oliliet, and on rounding the point fired a gun 

 and hove to. Two canoes soon after left the beach, 

 and from the number of articles of European manu- 

 facture with which they were decorated, we soon saw 

 that some vessel must have visited the place since 

 our departure ; and on the chief coming on board 

 he handed me some papers, from which I ascer- 

 tained that Mr. Watson, commanding the Essington 

 schooner, had visited the place during our absence ; 

 and by having a person on board who could com- 

 municate with the natives, he had succeeded by 

 threats and promises held out to the chiefs in 

 getting the European boy given up to him. The boy 

 had nearly forgotten his English at first, but Mr. 

 Watson afterwards made out that he belonged to 

 the Stedcombe schooner, the crew of which were all 

 murdered by the natives while engaged in watering 

 their vessel. He had been ten years on the island, 

 during which time he had been well treated by his 

 captors. 



The brig was obliged to stand off and on, as 

 there is no anchorage off* Oliliet during the south- 

 east monsoon, which had now set in ; but two 

 boats were sent on shore to obtain supplies. They 

 were well received by the natives, and again visited 

 the village, where they were surprised to find that 



