APPENDIX. 543 



the reef uniting Manono and Upolu, and anchored on broken bottom, 

 sheltered from all but northerly winds. This day being Saturday, 

 and consequently the natives' Sunday, was unfavourable for the 

 execution of my plans in capturing the chief Pea, but allowed me an 

 opportunity of disguising my intentions, by going through the usual 

 routine of surveying, sounding, &c, which I continued employed at 

 most of the day, landing occasionally on points of the island, to 

 measure angles. Upon these occasions, the natives crowded around, 

 and asked many unusual questions ; and from their general manner, I 

 could see that they were very suspicious, and considerably alarmed, 

 which I was unable to account for, till towards evening, when I 

 learned from Passed Midshipman Reynolds (whom I had landed on 

 the island during the forenoon, unarmed, for the purpose of making 

 some arrangements for trading with them, on the following day, for 

 pigs, yams, &c, and at the same time to obtain such information in 

 regard to said chiefs, as would be actually necessary to the success of 

 my plans) that the news of our cruising, together with the object we 

 had finally in view, had preceded us four days, with the additional 

 embellishment that the ship was to follow us and destroy the island. 



This was voluntarily told to Mr. Reynolds by a Mr. Heath, the 

 only foreign missionary upon the island, who asked Mr. Reynolds if 

 he would authorize him to contradict the report, and thereby quiet 

 the apprehensions of the natives, who were very much alarmed, and 

 continually coming to him to learn the truth. 



This unfortunate rumour knocked all my plans in the head, and 

 left me but little hopes of future success. I, however, came to the 

 conclusion that if the said chief still remained upon the island, that 

 the only other plausible plan for getting possession of him would be 

 by taking him forcibly from his house during the night, or from the 

 beach while employed trading during the day; and to this end I had 

 the schooner removed the following day to the opposite side of the 

 island, and sounded out a passage in the reef leading to her from 

 abreast Pea's house. 



At a suitable time, I landed with Passed Midshipman Harrison and 

 a boat's crew near his house, and commenced trafficking, the natives 

 gathering about in great numbers, and appearing less suspicious than 

 upon the day previous, yet many of them with their arms. Having 

 spent much of the day in this manner, without seeing any thing of 

 said chief, although many others were present, I left Mr. Harrison to 

 trade, while I strolled about the island. 



Having visited the most probable places for meeting with him, I at 



