AND MIDSHIPMAN HENRY. 159 



steered for the shore with the boats under their charge. When 

 the boats reached the beach, the savages retreated precipi- 

 tately in the mangrove bushes, carrying with them their dead 

 and wounded. Mr. Alden was among the first who landed, 

 and going up to Mr. Underwood he raised his head, and asked 

 him if he had anything to communicate through him to his 

 poor wife; but, alas! he was too far gone to speak. His- 

 skull was literally smashed to pieces. Some hopes were at 

 first entertained that Mr. Henry was yet alive, but when a 

 vein was opened no blood was found to flow. Both bodies had 

 been stripped by the natives, and were laying' in the sand, 

 whence they were conveyed to the boats. Mr. Emmons took 

 possession of a canoe that the natives had abandoned, and no 

 enemy being now in sight, the boats, with colors half-masted 

 and union down, sailed across the isthmus and escaped by a pas- 

 sage, where they might have been attacked at great advantage. 



The schooner by this time got under -way without suspicion 

 of any disaster. The sensation that was excited when the 

 boats arrived along-side and exposed to view the mangled 

 bodies, can be more easily imagined than described. Captain 

 Wilkes, in particular, wept over them like a child. He kissed 

 his nephew, Mr. Henry, on the face several times, and then 

 turning around to Mr. Underwood, patted him on the breast 

 and repeated the words, " Poor fellow." Every attention was 

 paid to the wounded and dead, that affection and regard could 

 dictate. 



There being no doubt from the reports of all parties pre- 

 sent, that this outrage was entirely unprovoked, Captain 

 Wilkes determined to inflict the punishment it merited, and 

 this, not because he wished to gratify any feelings of revenge, 

 but for the sake of saving the lives of other whites who might 

 visit the Group after the expedition left. 



