244 TYE AND SUALIB. 
Few things were found in the town, for the natives had removed all 
the articles that could be carried away. Three or four weeks of 
labour would, therefore, suffice to rebuild their houses, and restore them 
to the same state as before the burning. 
There was no opposition made to this attack; all the Feejee men 
had retired out of gun-shot, and were only now and then seen from be- 
hind the bushes, or on some craggy peak on the sides of the neighbour- 
ing hills, from which they were occasionally dislodged by our rockets. 
This firework produced consternation, and dispersed them in every 
direction. As the boats were pulling off from the shore, a few balls 
fell near us, but did no damage. 
As we pulled off, the launch (Lieutenant Perry) was just seen making 
her appearance, having got aground in the passage up, and lain the 
whole of the tide. His men being much exhausted, were transferred 
to the tender, and others put in their stead. We then all set out for the » 
ships, which we reached a little before midnight. 
The infliction of this punishment I deemed necessary; it was effi- 
ciently and promptly done, and, without the sacrifice of any lives, 
taught these savages a salutary lesson. 
In the first cutter was private and public property to the value of 
over one thousand dollars, which was all lost. 
By reference to my instructions, it will be seen that cases of theft 
were expressly mentioned as occasions that might require punishment 
to be inflicted on the natives; yet this transaction formed the gist of 
one of the charges preferred against me by the administration, on my 
return to the United States. 
The conduct of the officers and men on this occasion showed a 
promptness and energy that were highly creditable, and gave me the 
assurance that they were as much to be depended upon in dangers of 
this description, as I had hitherto found them in others. 
The next day having become satisfied that the Sualib chiefs who 
had been detained by Lieutenant Perry had really meant to act a 
friendly part, I determined, for the purpose of making the contrast as 
strong as possible between those who had offered aid and those who 
had stolen the cutter, to reward the former for their good intentions.* 
The next morning, all hands were called on deck, and the prisoners 
* It must be borne in mind, that any canoe or vessel, whether native or foreign, when 
driven on shore, is accounted an offering to the gods. All that it contains is considered as 
belonging to the chief of the district where the accident happens, and the people on board 
are at once sacrificed. The opinion I formed of the intentions of the two chiefs who swam 
off to Lieutenant Perry, was, that they expected an accident to occur to the launch, and 
being with her, could have at once claimed her as their own, and would have protected the 
liyes of those on board from the multitude by the authority they held oyer them, 
