544 A l> r> E X 1) I X. 



last went to his house, which contained nothing hut women and 

 children; and from information subsequently obtained from a coloured 

 man (who had lived eight years on the island with a chief by the 

 name of Matetau), convinced me that Pea left the island soon after 

 our heaving in sight: but in what direction he had gone I was unable 

 to learn. This putting an end to my last hope, I returned to the 

 schooner, and commenced working to the northward, to meet the ship 

 at the appointed rendezvous. 



On the morning of the 1st of March launched a boat to examine 

 what appeared to be a ship passage leading through the sea-reef 

 around Savaii : it proved to be a boat passage only. 



Landed at a missionary's house, and was informed by the mis- 

 sionary (Mr. Hardy) that the chief Pea had landed upon Savaii, 

 several miles from his house about the time I appeared off Manono. 



The news of our affair at Saluafata was known here soon after it 

 took place, which shows how fast information travels among these 

 people, and will in a measure account for the unfavourable result of 

 my cruise. 



During this day it came on to blow a gale from the northward ; got 

 the second cntter on board, and laid to, under snug sail, for the 

 following days, drifting to the northward and eastward. 



March 3d. Gale abating ; stood for the northeast end of Savaii, 

 and during the 4th and 5th, was employed cruising the island 

 around, sometimes so close as to make it necessary to sweep the 

 schooner off, without finding any harbours. However, being off a 

 place called Salelonga, on the southeast end of Savaii, where there 

 is a harbour reported to exist by the missionaries, I pulled in to 

 examine for the same, and after sounding out the various passages 

 leading into the reef, found but two deep enough to admit a ship, and 

 these so crooked and narrow as to make it impracticable to enter 

 otherwise than by warping, and the space inside too small to allow a 

 ship to swing, with a safe scope, at her anchor. Anchorage can, 

 however, be obtained on sandy bottom in from ten to eighteen fathoms 

 water, close to the outer entrance, in a comparatively sheltered berth, 

 owing to the proximity of Upolu, Manono, Apolima, and their sur- 

 rounding reefs. 



Very respectfully, 



George F. Emmons, 



Ideutenant. 



Captain Wm. L. Hudson, 



U. S. Ship Peacock. 



