T U T U I L A. 73 



intelligent and pleasing countenances. In comparison with the Tahi- 

 tians, they would be called sedate. 



The women are far from being good-looking, with the exception of 

 some of the younger ones. They are remarkably domestic and 

 virtuous, exhibiting a strange contrast to those of Tahiti. Here there 

 is no indiscriminate intercourse, the marriage tie is respected, and 

 parents are extremely fond of their offspring. The inhabitants are dis- 

 posed to be hospitable to strangers, although they expect remuneration 

 for it. Travelling is generally believed to be safe throughout the island 

 of Tutuila, and the natives, as far as our experience goes, are not the 

 blood-thirsty race they have been reported to be. The unfavourable 

 estimate of their character has, I presume, been derived from those 

 who first knew them, and particularly from their attack upon the expe- 

 dition of La Perouse. Of this conflict I obtained the following 

 particulars from the Rev. Mr. Murray, who had them from an old 

 man, who was a witness of the affray. The latter is the only individual 

 now alive in the settlement who was present when it occurred, and his 

 testimony was corroborated by others who had heard of it from those 

 who witnessed the scene. 



On the morning of the massacre, the vessels stood in towards the 

 land. About noon the boats went ashore, as recorded by La Perouse, 

 and while on shore, a number of canoes, belonging to the island of 

 Upolu (to which Tutuila was at the time subject), went from the shore, 

 and proceeded directly to the vessels. When these canoes were 

 alongside, a young man in one of them laid his hand on an iron bolt in 

 some part of the ships, with the intention, it is supposed, of stealing it. 

 He was fired upon by the French. The ball passed through his 

 shoulders, and mortally wounded him. The natives, on seeing the 

 effect of the shot on one of their number, were greatly enraged, and 

 immediately left the vessels, and hastened to the shore, where they 

 found the boats that had gone to get water. On reaching them, they 

 began the attack, which resulted in the massacre of M. De Langle, and 

 of those who were with him on shore. When the natives began this 

 attack, the great body of the French were absent from their boats ; 

 some were in the bushes gathering plants, and others talking to the 

 females. On the commencement of the disturbance, they all rushed 

 towards their boats, and the confusion became general. The minute 

 circumstances of the affray, farther than the above, cannot now be 

 ascertained from the natives. They are, however, very clear in refer- 

 ence to the cause, and to those who were the actors in it, viz., the 

 natives of Upolu. The Tutuilians maintain that they endeavoured to 

 save the lives of the French ; and, on the following day, as soon as they 



VOL. II. g 10 



