UPOLU — MANONO— SAVAII. 101 



so far as it was visible, it bore an unquestionable resemblance to a 

 blank note-book ! 



The proselytes of this sect, in case of sickness, confess their sins to 

 one another, and have a number of fast-days, which are rigidly kept. 

 Their Sabbath occurs only once a month, and is celebrated by the 

 firing of guns and the puerile mummery in which their worship con- 

 sists. 



In pursuance of the resolution I had adopted, Captain Hudson set out 

 on the 30th of October, with the boats of his ship, for the purpose of 

 attempting the capture of Opotuno. This noted chief of the neigh- 

 bouring island of Savaii, had, as has been stated, committed several 

 murders and other outrages. Among other acts, he had taken posses- 

 sion of two boats, sent on shore by the whale-ship William Penn, 

 Captain Swain, of Nantucket, killing the chief mate, and the two boat- 

 steerers. The third officer of the vessel was also wounded, and left for 

 dead upon the beach ; he was, however, picked up by some females? 

 who removed him to a hut, where, through their kind attentions, he 

 recovered. He did not, however, rejoin his ship, but remained for some 

 time on the island. 



The most surprising part of the history of this transaction is, that 

 Captain Toby, of the ship Swift, of New Bedford, afterwards purchased 

 these boats from Opotuno, although he knew that chief had obtained 

 them by murdering this captain's own countrymen. 



Captain Hudson fell in with the Flying-Fish, on his way to Savaii,. 

 and took her w T ith him, to aid in carrying on the stratagem by which, 

 the watchfulness and suspicions of the wary chief were to be lulled to- 

 rest. 



On their arrival off the part of the island where Opotuno usually* 

 resides, they made for the shore under pretence of surveying, and 

 reached the village of Setipetea, which adjoins that where he dwells. 

 We afterwards learned that no sooner had the boats got within the 

 reef, than he prepared for his flight to the mountains. The news of 

 the capture of Tuvai, and the reappearance of boats from a vessel (the 

 Peacock) which had passed about ten days before, served to put him 

 on the alert. He had, however, become so daring that he did not at: 

 once fly, but awaited more decided indications of hostility ; and when 

 Captain Hudson, accompanied by only two men, passed through his 

 village, having left his boats only a mile distant, he entertained the 

 intention of shooting him. He had actually cocked his gun for this 

 purpose, when one of his followers advised him not to fire, as he would 

 bring great trouble on the island if he shot a chief. When the boats' 

 crews afterwards entered Opotuno's village, the inhabitants showed 



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