282 MALOLO. 
and that they had brought two of the chief’s daughters asa present for 
the great chief. During the whole time that the old man was speaking, 
they all remained bent down with their heads to the ground. 
I asked them many questions, and, among others, what had induced 
them to murder the little chiefs. They acknowledged that the officers 
had done them no harm, and confessed that they had been killed with- 
out the slightest cause. They stated that all the murderers were slain, 
and that the act was planned and executed by the people of Sualib, 
none of whom were then present, or could be found; and said that the 
persons present were the only ones uninjured. Some of the officers 
believed that they recognised several of them as having been in the 
fight. I then, through the interpreter, dwelt upon the atrocity of their 
crime, and pointed out to them how justly we were offended with them, 
and how much they deserved the punishment they had received. I 
told them they might consider themselves fortunate that we did not 
exterminate them; and farther assured them, that if ever a like act 
was committed, or any aggression on the whites again took place, the 
most terrible punishment would await them; that we did not wish to 
do them any harm, but came among them as friends, and wished to 
be treated as such; that they must now see the folly of opposing us, as 
they had lost their best warriors, while we had not lost one; that we 
never fought against women or children, and never received any gifts 
or presents; that I granted them pardon, but they must do as I was 
about to direct them. 
I then told them, that to-morrow, very early, they must all come to 
the town of Arro unarmed, and bring back every article they had taken 
from the officers, with what provisions they could gather, and that 
they would be employed to bring water for the vessels. This was ac- 
cording to their customs, that the conquered should do work for the 
victors. 
They readily assented to all these demands, but said that many of 
the articles belonging to the little chiefs must have been destroyed by 
fire, and that they knew not where to obtain them, or where to find 
any thing to eat. I knew that the last assertion was false, as I had 
seen many plantations on the northwest side of the island which had 
not suffered, and remained untouched. I therefore told them they 
must comply with all they had been ordered to do. 
They were then dismissed, and instantly vanished from before us. 
Orders were now given to embark, and we reached the vessels at 
sunset. 
I had great reason to be satisfied with the result of this day’s pro- 
ceedings; for I felt, that after administering to the savages a very 
