80 



Porter's Voyage 



CHAPTER XIII. 



MadisorCs Island. — Happah War. 



At day-light next morning I bore up for the island of Nooa^ 

 heevah, which I shall hereafter call Madison's Island, and which 

 bore from vis W. not more than ten leagues distant. At the 

 dawn of day I made the signal to bear up for the anchorage 

 of Madison's Island, and stood in for the point forming the 

 east side of the weather bay, called by Lieutenant Hergest, (who 

 appears to be the first navigator that discovered it) Comptrol- 

 ler's Bay. 



Shortly after anchoring, we discovered a boat coming from 

 shore with three white men in her, one of whom was perfectly 

 naked, with the exception of a cloth about his loins; and as 

 his body was all over tattooed, I could not doubt his having 

 been a long time on this, or some other island. I supposed 

 them to be seamen, who had deserted from some vessels here, 

 and under this impression would neither permit them to 

 come along side of the ship, nor allow any person to have 

 any conversation with them. I was provoked to find such 

 characters, as I suspected them to be, in a place where I 

 had least expected to find any but the natives. I apprehended 

 much trouble from them; and, in a moment of vexation, 

 refused to answer their inquiries, and directed them to leave 

 the ship. Several canoes had come out towards us ; but on 

 the whites joining them, they all paddled to the shore ; and 

 on their reaching the beach, considerable numbers of the natives 

 assembled around them, armed with spears and clubs, and I felt 

 somewhat apprehensive that I had committed an error, in not 

 treating the strangers with more urbanity. To correct my error 

 as soon as possible, I directed four boats to be manned and 

 armed, and with a party of marines proceeded for the shore. The 

 beach was abandoned at our approach ; but on landing, T was 

 met by one of the persons who had come off in the boat. To my 

 great astonishment, I discovered him to be a midshipman of the 

 United States' navy, named John M. Maury, who had left the 

 United States on furlough, with Lieutenant Lewis, for Canton, 

 in the ship, Pennsylvania Packet ; from which place he sailed for 

 this island, to procure sandal wood. Here he remained several 

 months ; and after completing his cargo, sailed for Canton, leav- 

 ing Mr. Maury with a party, and the remainder of his stock of 

 trade, to collect a cargo for him against his return. He had been 

 expected in about two months ; but the news of the war, of which 



