106 UPOLU — MANONO — SAVAII. 



The proselytes of this sect, in case of sickness, confess their sins to 

 one another, and have a number of fast-days, which are rigidly kept. 

 Their Sabbath occurs only once a month, and is celebrated by the 

 firing of guns and the puerile mummery in which their worship 

 consists. 



In pursuance of the resolution I had adopted, Captain Hudson set 

 out on the 30th of October, with the boats of his ship, for the purpose 

 of attempting the capture of Opotuno. This noted chief of the neigh- 

 bouring island of Savaii, had, as has been stated, committed several 

 murders and other outrages. Among other acts, he had taken 

 possession of two boats, sent on shore by the whale-ship William 

 Penn, Captain Swain, of Nantucket, killing the chief mate, and the 

 two boat-steerers. The third officer of the vessel was also wounded 

 and left for dead upon the beach ; he was however, picked up by some 

 females, who removed him to a hut, where, through their kind atten- 

 tions, he recovered. He did not. however, rejoin his ship, but re- 

 mained for some time on the island. 



The most surprising part of the history of this transaction is, that 

 Captain Toby, of the ship Swift, of New Bedford, afterwards pur- 

 chased these boats from Opotuno, although he knew that chief had 

 obtained them by murdering this captain's own countrymen. 



Captain Hudson fell in with the Flying-Fish, on his way to Savaii, 

 and took her with him, to aid in carrying on the stratagem by which 

 the watchfulness and suspicions of the wary chief were to be lulled 

 to rest. 



On their arrival off the part of the island where Opotuno usually 

 resides, they made for the shore under pretence of surveying, and 

 reached the village of Setipetea, which adjoins that where he dwells. 

 We afterwards learned that no sooner had the boats got within the 

 reef, than he prepared for his flight to the mountains. The news of 

 the capture of Tuvai, and the reappearance of boats from a vessel 

 (the Peacock) which had passed about ten days before, served to put 

 him on the alert. He had, however, become so daring that he did 

 not at once fly, but awaited more decided indications of hostility, and 

 when Captain Hudson, accompanied by only two men, passed through 

 his village, having left his boats only a mile distant, he entertained 

 the intention of shooting him. He had actually cocked his gun for 

 this purpose, when one of his followers advised him not to fire, 

 as he would bring great trouble on the island if he shot a chief. 

 When the boats' crews afterwards entered Opotuno's village, the 



