Sept.] 



ARRIVE AT THE MASSACRE ISLANDS. 



437 



our no small surprise, were all in the water, like so many porpoises ! 

 Several of their canoes were literally cut to pieces ; and their imple- 

 ments of war appeared scattered over the surface of the sea, in every 

 direction. The excited crew were blowing their matches, anxious to 

 give them another volley during their confusion. But this I positively 

 forbade, being well convinced that the unexpected cordiality of their 

 reception would more than satisfy the ill-advised assailants. An im- 

 ploring look, which I construed into a petition for mercy, was cast 

 towards the Antarctic by almost every one of the terrified swimmers ; 

 the appeal was irresistible, and I granted them a respite which they 

 would never have given us, had their diabolical designs succeeded. 

 They hastily got into such of their canoes as were yet fit for service, 

 picked up their wounded, collected most of their scattered weapons, 

 took their shattered canoes in tow, and started for the shore with as 

 much alacrity of exertion as ever they exercised before. 



By this time it was totally dark ; and having no wind, we were 

 obliged to keep all hands at quarters during the night ; lest the savages 

 should return with reinforcements, under the expectation of taking us 

 by surprise. At daylight, however, we took a light breeze from east- 

 north-east, and continued on our course to the south and east. 



September 9 th. — On Wednesday, the 9th, we took the south-east 

 trade-winds, from east-by-south to east- south-east, and fair weather ; 

 being in latitude 3° 40' north, longitude 158° 41' east. On the Friday 

 following we crossed the equator, in longitude 159° 4' east. We found 

 the currents the same as on our former passage through this region ; 

 and on the third day after entering the southern hemisphere, we found 

 ourselves close in with the east end of that group which I had too much 

 reason to call the " Massacre Islands." . 



September 14th. — On Tuesday, the 14th, at 10 A. M., we came to 

 anchor within a quarter of a mile of the beach of that island which had 

 drunk the blood of fourteen as gallant tars as ever sailed under the 

 star-spangled banner of my native country. Our anchor was dropped 

 in ten fathoms of water, directly in front of the village. 



The Antarctic had been seen and recognised by the natives on the 

 previous evening ; and long before w T e reached our anchorage, canoes 

 were seen starting from every island filled with warriors, armed with 

 bows and arrows, war-clubs, &c. ; and before our anchor had clung 

 to the coral bottom for half an hour, the cannibals made a general 

 attack upon the Antarctic in their canoes ; while many of them waded 

 off towards the vessel, on the coral reef, within arrow distance. 



They had seen us depart in weakness, on the 29th of May, well 

 knowing how much their perfidious treachery had thinned our crew, 

 and reduced our physical prowess. Ignorant of our present accession 

 of strength and numbers, as not more than twenty men were to be seen 

 at any time above the waist-cloths, they doubtless counted on an easy 

 consummation of the work of destruction they had so successfully 

 commenced at our former visit. Whatever might have been their cal- 

 culations, they lost no time in making the desperate experiment. 



They advanced against us with as formidable a flotilla as the whole 

 group of islands could furnish ; and we awaited their approach with 



