M A L O L O. 297 



in confinement a chief of Arro and some of his followers, in order 

 that the fears of the people of the island might not induce them to 

 neglect the opportunity of asking for peace, and knowing that this 

 chief would have great influence in bringing about the result I de- 

 sired. I had an interview with him in the cabin. The first question 

 I put to him startled him not a little : it was, whether he could trust 

 his life in the hands of any of his own people that were on board with 

 him ; for it was my intention to send a messenger from among those 

 natives on board to the chiefs and people of the island, and if he did 

 not execute it and return at the appointed time, I should shoot him. 

 His eyes grew very large, he hesitated, and then spoke very quickly. 

 At last he said " Yes;" but that he would like the two younger boys 

 to be sent, as they were the best and most trustworthy. My object 

 was now fully explained to him ; and after he thoroughly understood 

 the penalty both to himself and the people of the island, he entered 

 warmly into my views, as he perceived that by so doing he would at 

 once regain his own liberty, and save his island from farther devas- 

 tation. 



The boys, who were respectively about fifteen and seventeen years 

 of age, were then called into the cabin. I took two reeds, and re- 

 peated, through the interpreter, the messages, which the chief took 

 great pains to make them understand. They were to this effect : 

 that the whole of the natives of the island should come to me by the 

 time the sun was overhead, to beg pardon and sue for mercy; and 

 that if they did not do so, they must expect to be exterminated. This 

 being fully understood by the boys, they were landed, the chief hav- 

 ing previously assured them that his life depended on their good 

 conduct and haste in executing their charge. 



Every thing was now prepared, agreeably to the orders of the 

 night before, and the whole force was landed ; but instead of moving 

 on to make farther devastation and destruction, we ascended the 

 eastern knoll. This is covered with a beautiful copse of casuarina 

 trees, resembling somewhat the pines of our own country. Hei-e we 

 took our station, and remained from about ten in the morning till 

 four o'clock in the afternoon. 



The day was perfectly serene, and the island, which, but a few hours 

 before, had been one of the loveliest spots in creation, was now entirely 

 laid waste, showing the place of the massacre, the ruined town, and the 

 devastated plantations. The eye wandered over the dreary waste to the 

 beautiful expanse of waters beyond and around, with the long lines of 

 white sparkling reefs, until it rested, far in the distance, on the small 



vol. m. 75 



