250 



Submission of the chiefs and 

 people. 



FEEJEE GROUP. 



Reflections thereon. 



without the slightest cause. They stated that all 

 the murderers were slain, and that the act was 

 planned and executed by the people of Sualib, 

 none of whom were then present, or could be 

 found ; and said that the persons present were the 

 only ones uninjured. Some of the officers believed 

 that they recognised several of them as having 

 been in the fight. I then, through the interpreter, 

 dwelt upon the atrocity of their crime, and pointed 

 out to them how justly we were offended with 

 them, and how much they deserved the punish- 

 ment they had received. I told them they might 

 consider themselves fortunate that we did not 

 exterminate them ; and farther assured them, that 

 if ever a like act was committed, or any aggression 

 on the whites again took place, the most terrible 

 punishment would await them ; that we did not 

 wish to do them any harm, but came among them 

 as friends, and wished to be treated as such ; that 

 they must now see the folly of opposing us, as they 

 had lost their best warriors, while we had not lost 

 one; that we never fought against women or chil- 

 dren, and never received any gifts or presents ; 

 that I granted them pardon, but they must do as 

 I was about to direct them. 



I then told them, that to-morrow, very early, 

 they must all come to the town of Arro unarmed, 

 and bring back every article they had taken from 

 the officers, with what provisions they could gather, 

 and that they would be employed to bring water 

 for the vessels. This was according to their cus- 

 toms, that the conquered should do work for the 

 victors. 



They readily assented to all these demands, but 

 said that many of the articles belonging to the 

 little chiefs must have been destroyed by fire, and 

 that they knew not where to obtain them, or where 

 to find any thing to eat. I knew that the last 

 assertion was false, as I had seen many plantations 

 on the north-west side of the island which had not 

 suffered, and remained untouched. I therefore 

 told them they must comply with all they had been 

 ordered to do. 



They were then dismissed, and instantly vanished 

 from before us. Orders were now given to embark, 

 and we reached the vessels at sunset. 



I had great reason to be satisfied with the result 

 of this day's proceedings ; for I felt, that after 

 administering to the savages a very severe punish- 

 ment, I had probably effected the desirable end of 

 preventing any further bloodshed. 



Early on the morning of the 28th, the tender 

 and brig got under way, and anchored off the town 

 of Arro, where the natives, to the number of 

 seventy, came down to the beach, with every ap- 

 pearance of humility, to carry into effect the terms 

 we had made with them. The water-bags and 

 breakers were given to them to fill and bring to 

 the beach for the boats. They found this very 

 hard work, and often expressed themselves to the 

 interpreters, who were with the officers attending 

 to the duty, that it would have been as well for 

 them to have been killed in battle as to die of hard 

 work. They toiled thus until nearly sunset, and 

 procured about three thousand gallons of water for 

 us. They also brought twelve good-sized pigs for 

 the crews, some yams and about three thousand 

 cocoa-nuts. 



Among the articles restored, was the silver 

 watch of Lieutenant Underwood, almost entirely 



melted up, and a piece of the eye-glass of Midship- 

 man Henry. 



When I went on shore, I saw the chief and 

 about twenty of the old men, who were not able to 

 take part in the work. I had a long talk with 

 them, through the interpreter, and explained to 

 them that they had brought this trouble upon 

 themselves. I pointed out, particularly, that the 

 blow had fallen upon the town of Arro, as well as 

 upon that of Sualib, because its inhabitants had 

 fired at the boats from the mangrove-bushes, which 

 was wrong ; and if it occurred again, or they ever 

 molested the Papalangis, they would meet with 

 exemplary punishment. They all listened with 

 great attention, and said it should never occur 

 again; and that when any Papalangis came to their 

 island, they would do every thing for them, and 

 treat them as friends and children. 



At evening, I had the chief who was our pri- 

 soner brought up and liberated. He had now, from 

 the death of the one at Sualib, become the highest 

 chief of the island. I gave him good advice, and 

 assured him, that if he allowed any white man to 

 be injured, he would sooner or later be punished. 

 He promised me, that as long as he lived they 

 should always be treated as friends and children ; 

 that he would be the first to befriend them ; that 

 he now considered the island as belonging to the 

 Papalangis ; that he had noted all that I had said; 

 that it was good, and he would be very careful to 

 observe it ; that he would, if he had no canoe, 

 swim off to the white people's ships to do them all 

 the service in his power ; and that his people 

 should do so also. He was then, with the natives 

 who had been captured, put on shore. When they 

 landed, the whole population were heard crying and 

 wailing over him at his return. 



The above are all the important facts relative to 

 this tragical affair, both to the natives and our- 

 selves. I feel little disposed to cast blame any 

 where, but it must be apparent that if the precau- 

 tions directed in the orders given for the conduct 

 of the officers on boat duty had been adhered to, 

 this misfortune would not have occurred. It is 

 therefore to be regretted, that a strict regard had 

 not been paid to these orders, and that care and 

 watchfulness to preserve and keep all on their 

 guard had not been constantly manifested. It is 

 difficult to imagine how some of the officers should, 

 in spite of all warnings, have indulged an over- 

 confidence in the peaceable disposition and good 

 intentions of the natives; and it is still more sur- 

 prising that this should have been the case with 

 Lieutenant Alden, who had charge of the party 

 for the time being, and who had frequently ex- 

 pi'essed himself satisfied, and had also warned 

 others, that the natives of Malolo were not to be 

 trusted. This opinion was not adopted by him 

 without good grounds ; for on his former visit, 

 about six weeks before, they had shown a disposi- 

 tion to cut off the launch and first cutter, of which 

 he was then in charge. There was no absolute 

 necessity for obtaining provisions, and still less for 

 his allowing Lieutenant Underwood to remain an 

 hour and a half on shore, chaffering for two or 

 three pigs, when they knew the tender was in sight, 

 and that she would reach the place of rendezvous 

 before night. 



The whole of this afflicting tragedy I cannot but 

 believe grew out of a want of proper care and 



