60 
ELLICE’S AND KINGSMILL GROUP. 
as to the character of our arms. The wounded and dead were all 
carried off. The boats now pushed in for the beach, and by the 
time they had reached it, there was not a native of the whole host to 
be seen. 
The three divisions then landed, and the first and second proceeded 
to fire the mariapa and town, while the third remained to guard the 
boats. The whole was soon in a blaze, and but a short time sufficed 
to reduce it to ashes. The natives were still to be seen in small 
parties, out of reach of the guns, among the cocoa-nut groves. After 
the work of destruction had been effected, the divisions again returned 
to the boats. The place now exhibited a very different picture from 
that it had presented only a short hour before. The blackened sites 
were all that remained of the former dwellings, the council-house was 
entirely in ashes, the fences were torn down, and the cocoa-nut trees 
leafless. 
The tide having fallen, three bodies were found, one of whom was 
the young chief who had been so troublesome and insolent to our 
gentlemen, and who it was believed had been active in the murder of 
poor Anderson. 
While the party were getting ready to embark, a small party of 
natives were seen coming towards them from Eta; these were all un¬ 
armed, and had cocoa-nut leaves and mats tied round their necks: they 
had come to assure our party of their good-will, and their joy at the 
destruction of Utiroa. One old man in particular repeated frequently 
his assurances, with much laughter and many grimaces. No sooner 
had they ascertained that the intentions towards them were not hostile, 
than they began to pillage the burning town. 
The number of houses destroyed was supposed to be about three 
hundred, besides upwards of a dozen large canoes. The loss of life 
was twelve on the part of the natives: there was no one injured on 
our side. 
From the fact that the natives had left every thing in their dwell¬ 
ings, it was clear that they did not anticipate the fate that was to befall 
them; that they were in hopes of being able to cut off our boats, and 
perhaps flattered themselves with the prospect of an indiscriminate 
plunder. This would be in perfect accordance with their customs 
and constant practice of attempting to cut off all vessels or boats that 
may visit their islands. Although I have no reason to come to this 
conclusion from our own knowledge respecting this island, yet from 
all the accounts of those who have resided some time among like 
savages, their first idea is always to capture or possess themselves of 
