296 



Drummond's Island in the 

 Kiiigsmill Group. 



CRUISE OF THE PEACOCK. 



Anderson, a seaman, killed by 

 the natives. 



On the 24th they fell in with another island, in 

 latitude 6 19' S., longitude 176 23' 15" E. This 

 discovery I have called Hudson, after Captain 

 Hudson. It was surveyed and found to be but one 

 mile and four-tenths long, north and south, and 

 nine-tenths of a mile wide, east and west. This 

 island is inhabited, a few natives being seen on the 

 beach, and several houses .under cocoa-nut trees 

 on its west side. It is of coral formation, has 

 no lagoon, and can be seen about eight or ten 

 miles. 



On the 25th they passed the small island of St. 

 Augustine, whose position as ascertained was in 

 latitude 5 35' S., and longitude 176 6' E. It ap- 

 peared well wooded. 



Until the 3rd of April, they continued to sail to 

 the northward, without meeting with any islands. 

 On that day they made Drummond's Island of the 

 charts, one of the Kingsmill Group, where they 

 encountered the regular north-east trades. This 

 island is called Taputeouea by the natives; it is 

 situated in latitude 1 20' S., and longitude 1 74 

 57' E. It is of coral formation, is thirty miles 

 long in a north-west and south-east direction, and 

 varies in width from a half to three-quarters of a 

 mile. This, however, only includes the high por- 

 tions, or that which is above the ocean level a few 

 feet. It is thinly covered with cocoa-nut and pan- 

 danus-trees, and not a patch of grass is to be seen, 

 or any sort of shrubbery or undergrowth. To the 

 leeward, or on its west side, the reefs and sand- 

 banks extend off some distance, gradually increas- 

 ing from the north-west point to the south-east, 

 where they are as much as six and a half miles in 

 width. This reef is interrupted in places, and 

 thei'e is good anchorage off the town of Utiroa, 

 towards the north-west end, near a small sand- 

 bank, which is usually bare. 



The natives did all in their power to pilfer from 

 the party that landed; if their attention were 

 diverted for a moment, the hands of a native were 

 felt at their pockets. When detected, they would 

 hold up their hands, with open palms, and laugh. 

 This boldness was more especially confined to a 

 few, and one in particular, a young chief, who was 

 a tall, good-looking person, with a vain and impu- 

 dent expression of countenance. It is impossible 

 to give a coiTect idea of the annoyances that our 

 gentlemen were subjected to from the rudeness of 

 some, the excess of civility of others, and the con- 

 stant watchfulness that became necessary to avoid 

 the pickpockets. An old man was about smearing 

 himself in cocoa-nut oil, with a cup full of salve, 

 in which he would dip his fingers, and endeavour 

 to rub them in their faces. This afforded much 

 amusement to the party, while the natives seemed 

 astonished that the attempt was repulsed ; for 

 there was little doubt of its being intended as a 

 great compliment thus to anoint their guests. 



On the afternoon of the 7th, a large party visited 

 the town of Utiroa, equally well armed as the day 

 before, and with fresh instructions and cautions 

 that no one should give cause of offence, and if any 

 thing was offered for sale, to pay liberally for it. 

 These precautions were enjoined, in consequence of 

 the belief that the natives were a treacherous and 

 dangerous set of fellows. An opportunity had 

 been taken, before a large number, to show them 

 that the cuirass, &c., was not proof against our 

 weapons at any distance; for which purpose one 



of the coats of mail was hoisted up at the yard- 

 arm, and fired at: the holes were then exhibited, 

 but did not seem to produce much effect upon 

 them. They manifested a decided disposition for 

 warlike pursuits, and ferocity was the most pre- 

 dominant trait in their character. 



After they had been an hour and a half on 

 shore, Captain Hudson ordered all the officers and 

 boats' crews down to the beach, fearing a collision, 

 and being satisfied that it was quite time to depart. 

 As they were assembling for the purpose of em- 

 barking, a noise was heard, resembling a sudden 

 assault, from some of the houses near by, and on- 

 mustering the men, John Anderson, a seaman, was 

 missing. Lieutenant Walker and Passed-Mid- 

 shipman Davis were sent, each with a few men, in 

 the direction whence the report proceeded, but 

 they saw nothing of him, and all was quiet at the 

 enclosure. The natives began now to assemble in 

 lai'ge numbers, armed, and things looked some- 

 what serious; for, as Passed-Midshipman Davis 

 returned to the beach, he was stoned, and one of 

 the men received a severe blow. This was how- 

 ever borne without return. On inquiry, it was 

 found that Anderson had been met but a few mo- 

 ments before the party was mustered. He was 

 armed with a musket, pistol, and cutlass, and was 

 esteemed one of the most correct and prudent men 

 in the ship. The boats were now shoved off a 

 short distance from the beach, and beyond the 

 reach of the native arms, when several muskets 

 were fired to notify him, and his name repeatedly 

 called, which could have been heard in any part of 

 the village; but no Anderson appeared. Captain 

 Hudson finally came to the conclusion that he had 

 either been enticed away by the women, or that 

 the natives had detained him, in the hopes of re- 

 ceiving a ransom for his release, and that he would 

 either return in one of the canoes to the ship, or be 

 given up on a reward being offered. Under these 

 impressions, he ordered the boats to return to the 

 ship. 



The next day passed without any intelligence of 

 poor Anderson, and Captain Hudson made up his 

 mind that Anderson had been treacherously mur- 

 dered. He therefore believed it to be a paramount 

 duty to punish them, not only for this perfidious 

 act, but to secure their good conduct hereafter, in 

 case of other vessels touching at this island. 



In consequence of this determination, the boats 

 were prepared for landing, and Mr. Knox was 

 ordered to anchor the tender in a position near the 

 shore opposite the town, in order to protect them. 



The expedition consisted of seven boats; in them 

 were embarked about eighty officers and men. 

 About nine o'clock they approached the town of 

 Utiroa. The first object that attracted attention 

 was a column of smoke arising from the small 

 building that stood on piles in front of the town 

 before spoken of. On arriving near the beach, the 

 three divisions formed in a line abreast, according 

 to the directions. Lieutenant Walker, with Mr. 

 Hale, (who acted as interpreter,) now showed the 

 white flag, and pulled in toward the beach in 

 front, in order to hold a parley, make further in- 

 quiries relative to Anderson, and endeavour to 

 have him given up, if alive. There were about five 

 hundred natives, well armed, on the beach, and 

 others were constantly coining in from all sides: 

 they shouted and shook their weapons with threat- 



