214 GUNUNG TABOOR. [1844. 



we noticed the remains of two other villages on our right, 

 which had apparently shared the same fate. These symp- 

 toms at any other time would probably have been deemed 

 favourable omens to many of our party intent on war, but 

 as our present object was the recovery of our countrymen, 

 it was requisite to adopt peaceable measures before we had 

 recourse to any more severe. Owing to the strength of 

 the tide, we had not made much progress before dark, 

 when we anchored for the night, placing the boats in a 

 position for mutual support. As we had been rather 

 taken by surprise at Gilolo, we were perhaps unusually 

 sensitive of alarm ; about midnight, the sound of gongs 

 in the distance set our flotilla in motion, and in a few 

 moments we were ready for friend or foe. 



The first impression, resulting from a guilty conscience, 

 was that of having disturbed the bones of the poor chief at 

 the village, which, if discovered by the natives, might have 

 roused them to punish the desecration ; the sounds, how- 

 ever, died away, and after cautioning the sentinels to be on 

 the alert, we were soon in the arms of Morpheus, though 

 not perhaps so composedly as if we had been free from 

 any chance of disturbance. In the morning we again moved 

 forward, still without any signs of human beings, although 

 every mile that we advanced the cleared condition of 

 the land, and other objects, satisfied us that we could not 

 be far distant from their dwellings. Shortly before eight, 

 we discovered the first inhabited house, and immediately 

 afterwards the outskirts of the town of Gunung Taboor. 



The boats being in a condition for work, with all 

 useless lumber stowed below, we advanced towards the 

 town ; it was found to be closely stockaded, each of the 



