CRUISE OF THE PEACOCK. 



Antlertun, a *eam*u, killed by 

 Die rislivri. 



Drtimtnonil'i Islnnd In lh« 

 Kingvmitl Croup. 



On tlic 2-1 lb thev fell in with another island, in 

 latitude fP 19' S., "longitude 17fi° 23" 15" E. This 

 discovery I have called Hudson, after Captain 

 Hudson. It was surveyed and found to be but one 

 mile and f mi tOll'tTlU long, north and south, and 

 nine-tenths of a mile wide, eaHt and west. This 

 island is inhabited, a few natives being seen on the 

 beach, and several houses under cocoa-nut trees 

 -11 it* u.'M side. It is nf coral formation, has 

 no lagoon, and can be seen about eight or ten 

 miles. 



On the 25th they passed the small island of St. 

 AuguHiinc, whose position as ascertained was in 

 latitude 5 s 35' S., ami longitude 176* b" E. It ap- 

 peared well wooded. 



Until the 3rd of April, they continued to nail to 

 the northward, without meeting with any isLiuK 

 On that day they made Drmnmond's Inland of the 

 charts, one of the Kiiigsmilt Group, where they 

 encountered the regular norlh-east trades. This 

 island is railed Tupnteoiiea by the natives; it in 

 situated in latitude 1° 20' S., and longitude 174° 

 57' E. It is of coral formation, is thirty miles 

 long in a north-west and south-east direction, and 

 varies in width from a half to three-quarters of a 

 mile. This, however, only includes the high por- 

 tions, or that which is above the ocean level a few 

 feet. It is thinly covered with cocoa-nut and pan- 

 danns-trees, and not a patch of grass is to be seen, 

 or any sort of shrubbery or undergrowth. To the 

 leeward, or on its west side, the reefs and sand- 

 banks extend off some distance, gradually increas- 

 ing from the north-west point to the south-east, 

 where thev are as much as six and a half miles in 

 width. This reef is interrupted in places, nnd 

 there is good anchorage off the town of Utiroa, 

 toward* the northwest end, near a small sand- 

 bank, which is usually bare. 



The natives did all in their power to pilfer from 

 the party that lauded; if their attention wore 

 diverted for a moment, the hands of a native were 

 felt at their pockets. When detected, they would 

 hold up their hands, with open palms, and laugh. 

 This boldness waa more especially confined to a 

 few, and one in particular, a young chief, who was 

 a tall, good-looking person, with a vain and impu- 

 dent <w predion of countenance. It is impossible 

 to give a correct idea of the annoyance* that our 

 gentlemen were subjected to from the rudeness of 

 some, the excess of civility of others, and the con- 

 stant watchfulness that became necessary to avoid 

 the pickpockets. An old man was about smearing 

 himself in cocoa-nut oil, with a cup full of salve, 

 in which he would dip his fingers, and endeavour 

 to rub them in their faces. This afforded much 

 amusement to the party, while the natives seemed 

 astonished that the attempt was repulsed ; for 

 there was little doubt of its being intended as a 

 U'iv;it compliment thus to anoint their guests. 



On the afternoon • >f the 7th, a large party visited 

 the town of Utiroa, equally well armed as the day 

 hefoiv, and with fresh instructions and cautions 

 that ni> one should give en use of offence, and if any 

 thing was offered for sale, to pay liberally for it. 

 These precautions were enjoined, in consequence of 

 the belief that the nrttives were a treacherous and 

 dangerous set of fellows. An opportunity had 

 been taken, before a large number, to show them 

 that the cuirass, &e., was not proof against our 

 weapons at any distance; for which purpose one 



of the coats of mail was hoisted up at the yard- 

 arm, and tired at: the hules were then exhibited, 

 but did not seem to produce much effect upon 

 them. They manifested a decided disposition for 

 warlike pursuits, and ferocity was the most pre- 

 dominant trait in their character. 



After they bad been an hour and a half on 

 shore, Captain Hudson ordered all the officers and 

 boats' crews down to the heach, fearing a collision, 

 and being satisfied that it was quite time to depart. 

 As they were assembling for the purpose of em- 

 barking, a noise was heard, resembling a midden 

 assault, from some of the houses near by, and on 

 mustering the men, John Anderson, a seaman, was 

 missing. Lieutenant Walker and l'assed-Mid- 

 shipman OavLs were sent, each with a few men, in 

 the direction wheuec the report proceeded, but 

 they saw nothing of him, and all was quiet at the 

 enclosure. The natives began now to assemble in 

 large numbers, armed, and things looked some- 

 what serious; for, as Passed-Midsbipman Davis 

 returned to the heach, he was stoned, and one of 

 the men received a severe blow. This was how- 

 ever borne without return, tin inquiry, it was 

 found that Anderson had been met but a few mo- 

 ments before the party was mustered. He was 

 armed with a musket, pistol, and cutlass, nnd was 

 esteemed one of the most correct and prudent men 

 in the ship. The boats were now shoved off a 

 short dist-ince from the beach, and beyond the 

 reach of the native arms, when several muskets 

 were fired to notify him, and his name repeatedly 

 called, w hich could have been heard in any part of 

 tho village; but no Anderson apj>eared. Captain 

 Hudson finally came to the conclusion that ho had 

 either been enticed away by the women, or that 

 the natives had detained him, ill the hopes of re- 

 ceiving a ransom for his release, and ttuit he would 

 either return in one of tin. 1 ennui s to the ship, or be 

 given up on a reward being offered. Under these 

 impressions, he ordered tho boats to return to the 

 ship. 



The next day pasRcd without any intelligence of 

 poor Anderson, and Captain Hudson made up his 

 mind that Anderson had been treacherously mur- 

 dered. He therefore believed it to be a paramount 

 duty to punish them, not only for this perfidious 

 act, hut to secure their pood conduct hereafter, in 

 ease of other vessels touching at this island. 



In consequence of this determination, the boats 

 were prepared for lauding, and Mr. Knox wan 

 ordered to anchor the tender in a position near the 

 shore opposite the town, in order to protect them. 



The expedition consisted of seven boats; in them 

 were embarked about eighty officers and men. 

 About ninfl o'clock they approached the town of 

 Utiroa. The first object that attracted attention 

 was a column nf smoke arising from tho email 

 building that stood on piles in front of the town 

 before spoken of. On arriving near the beach, the 

 three divisions funned in a line abreast, according 

 to the directions. Lieutenant Walker, with Mr. 

 Hale, (who acted as interpreter,) now showed the 

 white flag, and pulled in toward the heach in 

 front, in order to hold a parley, make further in- 

 quiries relative to Anderson, and endeavour to 

 have him given up, if alive. There were about five 

 hundred natives, well armed, on tho beach, and 

 oi hers were constantly coming in from all sides: 

 they shouted and shook their weapons with threat- 



