BOWDITCH ISLAND. 33 



his direction the boats of that ship. This will be found in Ap- 

 pendix I. 



On an examination of the passage through the reef, Mr. Knox 

 reported, contrary to the account given by Lieutenant Emmons 

 when he surveyed the harbour, that there was not water enough for 

 the tender. Fearing some difficulty, Captain Hudson had anchored 

 the Peacock as near the reef as possible, and not wishing to risk the 

 tender in any way, countermanded part of his orders, and determined 

 to clear the town with the Peacock's guns, being aware that none 

 but the fighting men remained, and that all their valuables and 

 movable property had been removed. 



Preparations were therefore made for swinging the broadside to 

 the town, and the necessary arrangements for landing completed. 

 Captain Hudson, however, still thought it proper to wait a few hours, 

 in the hope of receiving some communication from the natives, and 

 that they would, at the last moment, agree to give up or punish the 

 murderer. But no overtures whatever being made, at nine o'clock 

 the boats were manned, and lay on their oars, ready for the signal to 

 proceed. A fire was now opened from the ship, the balls being 

 elevated so as to pass over the town ; after which the boats pushed 

 for the shore, the party landed, and the town of Saluafata, which 

 consisted of about seventy-five houses, was reduced to ashes. The 

 towns of Fusi and Salelese, of some fifty more, shared the same fate. 

 The party then returned to the ship, without any accident to them- 

 selves or the natives, having met with no opposition whatever, not- 

 withstanding the great boastings and bravado messages which had 

 been sent by the chiefs and inhabitants. 



This act was performed with great reluctance, and not -until the 

 most perfect conviction of its being absolutely necessary to secure 

 the safety of the crews of such of our whaling fleet as touch at this 

 island, as well as to restore the respect due to our flag and those 

 who sail under it, and to correct the erroneous opinion, that our for- 

 bearance was the result of fear of their prowess and numbers. In 

 their transactions, and outrages committed on strangers, they had 

 exhibited a fearlessness and spirit of daring that it was time to put a 

 stop to. By this attack upon them, they became fully sensible that 

 they were not our equals in war, nor capable of resisting attacks 

 that might be made on them; they have, in consequence, become 

 much more humble, so that the general opinion throughout the 



VOL. V. 9 



