74 ELLICE'S AND KINGS MILL GROUP. 



mild and intelligent countenance, remained constantly near the stone, 

 never quitting the platform for a moment. The houses were built 

 like those of Drummond Island, but the scuttles into the lofts were 

 much larger, occasionally occupying half the dividing floor. In some 

 of the houses there were two or three floors or stages, the second 

 about two feet above the first. 



In the survey of this island the tender got aground inside the 

 lagoon. The moment that it was discovered by the natives that the 

 vessel was on shore, they began to flock around her, and were only 

 kept off by being fired at. Lieutenant Emmons did not join her with 

 the boats till after dark, when he found her situation such as to require 

 great vigilance on the part of the officers and men to preserve her. 

 She had taken the coral reef at high water, and the tide was rapidly 

 falling, leaving her on her bilge, and rendering her guns of no use 

 for protection. The natives were making signals by burning fires, 

 blowing war-conchs, and evincing every disposition to attack her. 



Captain Hudson, who observed the situation of the tender at sunset, 

 determined to keep the Peacock close to the island throughout the 

 night, to be near at hand to despatch boats in case of signal being 

 made that they required more aid, should the natives show a disposi- 

 tion to make an attack, and overpower the, force that had already gone 

 to the tender's assistance. The Peacock was hove-to, with a moderate 

 breeze blowing, and from the fires seen during the night they be- 

 lieved themselves close to the position they had taken at sunset. At 

 daylight, while lying-to, they drifted on a coral sand-bank, where the 

 ship was aground for a few minutes only. Their surprise was great 

 when they found that it was Tarawa or Knox's Island, on which they 

 were ashore, on its northwest side, and that they had drifted fully 

 twelve miles bv current to the southward during the night. On board 



j DO 



of the tender every preparation was made to receive the savages, as it 

 was anticipated that the attack would be made at early daylight. 

 They were not mistaken in this, for at that time the natives were 

 seen in great numbers, but just then fortunately the tender floated. 

 The natives continued, however, to approach boldly until within 

 musket-shot, when they were motioned to keep off, which they dis- 

 regarded. The headmost canoe having struck its sail for the purpose 

 of closing alongside, Lieutenant Emmons fired his rifle, aiming so 

 that the ball should pass close by the head of the steersman : this 

 alarmed him so much that he immediately jumped overboard, and 

 was followed by all the rest. The remaining canoes now kept off, 



