26 BOWDITCH ISLAND. 



upon her cables, owing to the strength of the tide, which causes her 

 to lie nearly in the trough of the sea, and to roll very heavily. The 

 stream of fresh water which empties into the harbour, has some 

 tendency, when it is much swollen, to maintain a ship in this dis- 

 agreeable position, by the force of its current. The harbour, through 

 its discharges, is at times strewed with quantities of drift-wood. 



The rain continued without intermission for nearly the whole time 

 of their stay, so that no opportunity could be had of airing or drying 

 the sails. So long a duration of wet, together with the heat, caused 

 some fears relative to the health of the crew, and particularly those 

 who were away in the boats, from their being more exposed to the 

 weather. Every precaution was taken to prevent sickness. 



A few days after they had been at anchor, Captain Hudson received 

 a letter from Lieutenant Perry, who was of the surveying party, stating 

 that the chiefs of Sanapu had enticed away and secreted two of the 

 men, intending them for pilots of that harbour after the Peacock 

 should depart, and had promised to protect them. A messenger was 

 at once despatched across the island by Pea, the chief of Apia, de- 

 manding the two deserters from the Sanapu chiefs ; at the same time 

 assuring them that if the men were not immediately delivered up, 

 the Peacock would be removed to their harbour, and their town de- 

 stroyed. This had the desired effect, and the deserters were brought 

 back to the ship by the chiefs of Sanapu. 



Captain Hudson, after rebuking the chiefs for the part they had 

 taken in the transaction, and giving them some advice in regard to 

 their future intercourse with the whites, paid them the reward Lieu- 

 tenant Perry had offered for the apprehension of the deserters. 



On the 2 1st, Captain Hudson hearing that the noted Sangapolu- 

 tale, principal chief of the towns of Saluafata, Fusi, and Salelese, who 

 had protected and refused to give up the murderer of Gideon Smith, 

 Tagi, before mentioned, was at one of the towns near by on a visit, 

 determined, if possible, to surprise and take him prisoner, to be held 

 until such time as the murderer were given up. For this purpose he 

 visited the town before daylight of the 22d, with a few officers and 

 men, but without success. 



Previous to this time, Captain Hudson had had intercourse with 

 this chief through our consul, Mr. Williams; and had demanded of 

 him the punishment or delivery of the murderer, Tagi. In the 

 course of the communications, Sangapolutale acknowledged that the 

 murderer ought to be punished or given up ; said he once wanted to 



