Ransom offered. Attack on 

 the natives. 



CRUISE OF THE PEACOCK. 



Utiroa burnt. Drummond's Island 

 in the Kingsmill Group. 



297 



ening gestures. Many of them, however, seemed 

 undecided how to act; and their whole appearance, 

 though formidable enough, was yet quite ludicrous 

 in the eyes of the men, equipped as the savages 

 were in their cumbrous coats of mail and fish-skin 

 helmets. 



As the boat approached, several of the natives 

 advanced towards it, preceded by a chief fully 

 equipped in armour, and holding a spear in his 

 right hand. Mr. Hale then explained the object 

 they had in view, and showed the large quantity of 

 tobacco which they had brought for a ransom. The 

 chief appeared to understand, and pointed to the 

 shore, making signs at the same time for them to 

 come in. The savages who attended the chief had 

 now increased in numbers, and were close to the 

 boat, while the whole body was advancing slowly 

 forwards. Finding that it was not only useless 

 but dangerous to continue the parley, the boat was 

 pulled back into line. 



Having thus failed to procure the desired end, 

 the most humane manner of effecting their punish- 

 ment was conceived to be at once to show them the 

 power of our arms, and sacrifice some of the most 

 prominent among the savages. Lieutenant Walker, 

 therefore, requested Mr. Peale, the best shot of the 

 party, to give them a proof of it, and thus prevent 

 the further effusion of blood. This was accordingly 

 done by singling out one of the foremost, and a 

 rocket was also discharged, which took its flight 

 towards the great body of them. The latter missile 

 caused great confusion, and many of them turned 

 to seek the shore, but their terror did not last long, 

 and they made another stand, brandishing their 

 spears and weapons as if bent upon a trial of 

 strength with their opponents; the falling of their 

 chiefs was disregarded, and few seemed to consider 

 the effects produced, except those who were wounded. 

 A general volley soon followed, which caused them 

 all to retreat, some in great haste, while others 

 moved more slowly towards the shore, seeming to 

 be but little impressed as to the character of our 

 arms. The wounded and dead were all carried off. 

 The boats now pushed in for the beach, and by the 

 time they had reached it, there was not a native of 

 the whole host to be seen. 



The three divisions then landed, and the first and 

 second proceeded to fire the mariapa and town, 

 while the third remained to guard the boats. The 

 whole was soon in a blaze, and but a short time 

 sufficed to reduce it to ashes. The natives were 

 still to be seen in small parties, out of reach of the 

 guns, among the cocoa-nut groves. After the work 

 of destruction had been effected, the divisions again 

 returned to the boats. The place now exhibited a 

 very different picture from that it had presented 

 only a short hour before. The blackened sites were 

 all that remained of the former dwellings, the coun- 

 cil-house was entirely in ashes, the fences were torn 

 down, and the cocoa-nut trees leafless. 



The tide having fallen, three bodies were found, 

 one of whom was the young chief who had been so 

 troublesome and insolent to our gentlemen, and who 

 it was believed had been active in the murder of 

 poor Anderson. 



While the party were getting ready to embark, a 

 small party of natives were seen coming towards 

 them from Eta; these were all unarmed, and had 

 cocoa-nut leaves and mats tied round their necks: 

 they had come to assure our party of their good- 



will, and their joy at the destruction of Utiroa. 

 One old man in particular repeated frequently his 

 assurances, with much laughter and many grimaces. 

 No sooner had they ascertained that the intentions 

 towards them were not hostile, than they began to 

 pillage the burning town. 



The number of houses destroyed was supposed to 

 be about three hundred, besides upwards of a dozen 

 large canoes. JThe loss of life was twelve on the 

 part of the natives : there was no one injured on 

 our side. 



From the fact that the natives had left every 

 thing in their dwellings, it was clear that they did 

 not anticipate the fate that was to befall them ; that 

 they were in hopes of being able to cut off" our 

 boats, and perhaps flattered themselves with the 

 prospect of an indiscriminate plunder. This would 

 be in perfect accordance with their customs and 

 constant practice of attempting to cut off all vessels 

 or boats that may visit their islands. Although I 

 have no reason to come to this conclusion from our 

 own knowledge respecting this island, yet from all 

 the accounts of those who have resided some time 

 among like savages, their first idea is always to cap- 

 ture or possess themselves of the vessel or any of 

 the boats. We have seen that this is put in prac- 

 tice among the Feejees and others, who regard all 

 vessels wrecked as sent to them as a gift from the 

 gods. 



The character of these islanders is the most 

 savage of any that we met with ; their ferocity led 

 to the belief that they were cannibals, although no 

 positive proofs were seen of it. They are under no 

 control whatever, and possess little of the charac- 

 teristic hospitality usually found in savage nations. 

 It was observed also that their treatment of each 

 other exhibited a great want of feeling, and in many 

 instances, passions and propensities indicative of 

 the lowest state of barbarism. Their young girls 

 were offered to be disposed of, by their fathers and 

 brothers, alongside the ship, openly, and without 

 concealment; and to drive a bargain for them, was 

 one of the principal objects of their visits to the ship. 



It is to be hoped that the punishment inflicted on 

 Utiroa for the murder of Anderson will be long re- 

 membered, and prove a salutary lesson to the nu- 

 merous and thickly- peopled towns of Taputeouea, 

 or Drummond's Island. 



On the same evening, (the 9th,) they weighed 

 anchor, and on the next day made Bishop's or 

 Sydenham Island, which they surveyed the follow- 

 ing day. 



Off the north point of Bishop's Island, there 

 is a shoal extending one and a half mile to 

 the northward and westward, the water on which 

 is discoloured, and where the Peacock found nine 

 fathoms. The native name for Bishop's or Syden- 

 ham Island, is Nanouti; it lies in latitude 36' S., 

 and longitude 175 24' E.; it is of coral formation,and 

 a mere ledge of land, like Drummoud's Island, with 

 a lagoon, reef, and bank, on its lee or south-west 

 side. The survey made it nineteen miles long, 

 trending north-west and south-east, and its width, 

 including lagoon and reef, eight and a half miles. 

 On the south-west and north-west portions of it, 

 there is a coral bank, from one to one and a half 

 mile beyond the reef, on which there is ten 

 fathoms water. At the distance of four miles from 

 the north-west end of the island, they found sound- 

 ings in two hundred and sixty-five fathoms. 



