248 



Arro burnt. 



FEEJEE GROUP. 



Attack on Malolo. 



proach the fortification, our men spread out so as 

 to outflank the skirmishers, and by a few rockets 

 and a shower of balls showed them that they had 

 different enemies from Feejee men to deal with. 

 This compelled them to retire within the fortifica- 

 tion, and abandon all on its outside to destruction. 

 When the skirmishers had retired into the for- 

 tress, all united in loud shouts of lako-mai (come 

 on !), flourishing their spears and clubs. 



Our party having approached within about 

 seventy feet of the stockade, opened its fire on the 

 fortification. Now was seen, what many of those 

 present had not before believed, the expertness 

 with which these people dodge a shot at the flash 

 of a gun. Those who were the most incredulous 

 before, were now satisfied that they could do this 

 effectually. 



For about fifteen minutes an obstinate resistance 

 was kept up with musketry and arrows. In this 

 the women and children were as actively engaged 

 as the men, and all made a prodigious clamour. 

 After the above time, the noise diminished, the 

 defence slackened, and many were seen to make 

 their escape from a gate which was intentionally 

 left unattacked, carrying the dead and wounded on 

 their backs. A rocket, of which several had 

 already been tried without visible effect, now struck 

 one of the thatched roofs; a native sprung up to 

 tear it off, but that moment was his last, and the 

 roof immediately burst into flames.- Upon this 

 Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold recalled several 

 officers who were desirous of storming the town 

 through its small gate, an attempt which, even if 

 successful, must have been attended with loss of 

 life on our part, and which the success of the 

 rocket practice rendered unnecessary. To force 

 the gate would have been a difficult operation, had 

 it been defended with the least pei-tinacity, for it 

 was constructed in the manner of a fish-weir. The 

 natives, as has been seen, had, in addition to their 

 arrows, clubs, spears, and muskets; but the latter 

 were so unskilfully handled as to do little damage, 

 for they, as 1 had before been informed was their 

 practice, put charges into them according to the 

 size of the person they intended to shoot at. They 

 believe that it requires a larger load to kill a large 

 man than it does to kill a small one. The bows 

 and arrows were for the most part used by the 

 women. 



The moment the flames were found to be spread- 

 ing, a scene of confusion ensued that baffles de- 

 scription. The shouts of men were intermingled 

 with the cries and shrieks of the women and chil- 

 dren, the roaring of the fire, the bursting of the 

 bamboos, and an occasional volley of musketry. 



The heat became so intense, that Lieutenant- 

 Commandant Ringgold drew off the divisions to a 

 cocoa-nut grove in the neighbourhood, where he 

 waited until the conflagration should have ex- 

 hausted its fury. After the lapse of an hour, the 

 whole town was reduced to ashes, and a few of the 

 officers and men were able, although with difficulty, 

 to enter within its ditch. It was evident that large 

 quantities of water and provisions (pigs, &c.) had 

 been stored up, in the anticipation of a long siege. 

 Numerous clubs, spears, bows and arrows, with 

 several muskets, were picked up, together with 

 fish-nets, tapa, &c., and the cap of Lieutenant 

 Underwood. Only four bodies were found, among 

 whom was that of a child, which had been seen 



U 



during the conflagration, apparently deserted, and 

 in a state of danger, from which our men would 

 gladly have relieved it, had it been possible. 



Our party sustained but little injury. Only one 

 man was struck by a ball, which, however, did no 

 other harm than to tear his jacket. Several were 

 wounded by arrows, but only Samuel Stretch, 

 quarter-gunner, so severely as to cause any solici- 

 tude. 



After the destruction of the town, the third 

 division, under Lieutenant Maury, was ordered to 

 return to the brig, along the beach of the western 

 side of the island. This route was chosen for the 

 sake of the wounded man, who was unable to travel 

 over the hills. The first and second divisions 

 marched across the island to the town of Arro. 

 The officers describe the scene that lay before 

 them, when they had reached the highest part of 

 the ground that lay in their route, as extremely 

 beautiful. In the valley below them, and on the 

 declivities of the hills, were to be seen yam and 

 taro-patches kept in the neatest order, with the 

 small yam-houses (lololo) in the midst, surrounded 

 by groves of tall cocoa-trees, and plantations of 

 bananas. All looked quiet and peaceful, in strong 

 contrast to the exciting contest in which they had 

 just been engaged, and the character of the ruth- 

 less and murderous race who had been the occu- 

 pants of the smiling valley. 



Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, with these 

 divisions, reached the beach of Arro at sunset, 

 when a part of the men were embarked in the 

 canoes and boats. Lieutenant Alden was at once 

 despatched round the island in the cutter, for the 

 purpose of rendering assistance to Lieutenant 

 Maury, but he arrived too late to be of service. 



While these transactions were taking place on 

 the island, the water also became the scene of a 

 conflict. Lieutenant Emmons, who had been de- 

 spatched to intercept the five canoes, reported to be 

 seen from the ridge, pulled round the island with- 

 out discovering them. While making this circuit, 

 he fell in with the party under Lieutenant North, 

 and took the wounded man into the boat, leaving 

 one of his eight in his place. He then pulled to the 

 brig, where he refreshed his men, and in the after- 

 noon proceeded round Malolo-lailai to search for 

 the canoes, supposing they might have escaped and 

 been drawn up in the mangrove-bushes. He soon, 

 however, discovered the enemy poling along on the 

 outer reef towards Malolo-lailai. They were some- 

 what separated when first seen, but as he approach- 

 ed, the weathermost made sail to leeward to join 

 their companions, and when they had accomplished 

 this, all struck their sails and advanced to attack 

 him, manoeuvring together. In each canoe there 

 were about eight warriors, having a kind of breast- 

 work to protect them from the shot, while Lieute- 

 nant Emmons's boat's crew consisted only of seven. 

 After a short but severe contest, only one of the 

 canoes escaped ; the others were all captured, 

 together with their warriors. Lieutenant Emmons 

 reached the brig, with three of his prizes, a little 

 before midnight. 



Shortly after daylight, a few natives were seen j 

 on the beach opposite to the tender. I had been 

 hoping throughout the night that some overture 

 would be made, and at once took my gig, with the 

 interpreter, and pulled for them. As we approached 

 the edge of the reef, which was now bare, it being 



