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 



