TYE AND SUALIB. 259 



assurance that they were as much to be depended upon in dangers of 

 this description, as I had hitherto found them in others. 



The next day, having become satisfied that the Sualib chiefs who 

 had been detained by Lieutenant Perry had really meant to act a 

 friendly part, I determined, for the purpose of making the contrast as 

 strong as possible between those who had offered aid and those 

 who had stolen the cutter, to reward the former for their good 

 intentions.* 



The next morning, all hands were called on deck, and the prisoners 

 brought to the gangway in irons, expecting that their time was now 

 come, and exhibiting great fear, both in their countenances and 

 trembling limbs. Through David Whippy, I then told them, that 

 although appearances were at first against them, I had satisfied 

 myself that they intended to act a friendly part in assisting the 

 launch, and as they had taken no share in the robbery and capture of 

 the boat, and the people of their town had done nothing to molest 

 us, instead of punishing them, I should reward them with presents, 

 and send them back safely to their town. The joy that was depicted 

 on their countenances at this change can readily be imagined. Their 

 irons were then removed, and the presents given. 



After thanking the officers and men for their good conduct in this 

 affair, we piped down, and our several occupations were resumed. 



During the time that these chiefs were prisoners on board, a chief 

 of this bay, who called himself Tui Mbua, (after the old chief of that 

 name who has already been spoken of,) came on board, to beg that he 

 might have the bodies of the prisoner chiefs to eat, expecting, of 

 course, they were to be killed. The request was made to one of the 

 officers, (Mr. Vanderford,) who had been in this place before, and 

 who spoke the Feejee language. It is said that such a request is 

 considered the greatest token of Feejee friendship, and it is believed 

 that this was the inducement in the present case. 



The two chiefs remained on board some days, in consequence of 

 the difficulty of sending them back, for the boats that attempted it 



* It must be borne in mind, that any canoe or vessel, whether native or foreign, when 

 driven on shore, is accounted an offering to the gods. All that it contains is considered 

 as belonging to the chief of the district where the accident happens, and the people on board 

 are at once sacrificed. The opinion I formed of the intentions of the two chiefs who swam 

 off to Lieutenant Perry, was, that they expected an accident to occur to the launch, and 

 being with her, could have at once claimed her as their own, and would have protected 

 the lives of those on board from the multitude by the authority they held over them. 



