NEW CALEDONIA. 333 



from the Northern coast, whicli had for its object the 

 punisliraeiit of the natives for kilUng and eating five or six 

 Frenchmen, together witli part of a crew of a trading- 

 vessel ; tlie discliarge of his vow of course not being over- 

 looked. The punishment was certainly very effective. 

 Having landed a force at the proper s])ot on the coast, he 

 marched by night to the village where the cannibals lived. 

 The march must have been a puzzling one, especially to 

 him, as he was dragged occasionally through the bush on 

 all fours by his party, a kind of advance that was neither 

 military nor pleasant. The result, however, was everything 

 that could be desired. They attacked the village, and shot, 

 burned, or bayonetted every soul in it, sixty in number ; 

 those who were not shot or cut down having been burnt in 

 the houses, men, women, and children of coiu'se ; not a 

 soul survived to tell the tale. He felt this was a terrible 

 vengeance, but had little doubt it would have its effect for a 

 long time. It is, in fact, likely that the most eager cannibal 

 would be disinchned to feast upon forbidden flesh at this 

 price. On our return to Sydney we heard that the 

 Governor had made a second raid upon the natives in 

 another place, attended with the same merciless success. 



The Governor's house is a square wooden building, 

 ■whitewashed outside. It was within five minutes' walk of 

 the new-built pier or jetty, that looks very short, but is, I 

 believe, long enough for any coaster or trader of the island 

 to lay alongside. One of the rooms is panelled with 

 acacia, and another wdth pine ; both are done by the soldiers 



