104 



Porier'i Voyage 



bear their insults, and escape their stones in the best manlief 

 they could ; not however without complaining occasionally to me 

 on the subject. But they seemed determined to take no active part 

 with us in the war. 



Finding that it was absolutely necessary to bring the Typees to 

 terms, or endanger our good understanding with the other tribes, 

 and consequently our own safety, I resolved to endeavour to bring 

 about a negotiation, and to back it with a force sufficient to inti- 

 midate them. 



We arrived at the Typee landing at sunrise, and were joined 

 by ten war canoes from the Happahs ; the Essex Junior soon 

 after arrived and anchored. The tops of all the neighbouring 

 mountains were covered with the Taeeh and Happah warriors, 

 armed with spears, clubs, and slings ; the beach was lined with 

 the warriors who came with the canoes, and who joined us from 

 the hills. Our force did not amount to a less number than five 

 thousand men, but not a Typee or any of their dwellings were 

 to be seen ; for the whole length of the beach, extending up- 

 wards of a quarter of a mile, was a clear level yjlain, which ex- 

 tended back about one hundred yards. A high and almost im- 

 penetrable swampy thicket bordered on this plain, and the only 

 trace we could perceive, which, we were informed, led to the ha- 

 bitations, was a narrow pathway which winded through the swamp. 

 The canoes were all hauled on the beach, the Taeehs on the 

 right, the Happahs on the left, and our four boats in the 

 centre. 



We soon came to the place for fording a river ; in the thick 

 bushes of the opposite banks of which, the Typees, who were 

 here very numerous, made a bold stand, and showered on us their 

 spears and other missiles. Here our advance was for a few mi- 

 nutes checked, the banks of the river being remarkably steep, 

 but particularly on the side we were, which would render our 

 retreat difficult and dangerous in case of a repulse. The stream 

 was rapid, the water deep, and the fording difficult and hazard- 

 ous on account of the exposed situation we should be in while 

 crossing. We endeavoured in vain to clear the bushes of the 

 opposite banks with our musketry. The stones and spears flew 

 with augmented numbers. Finding that we could not dislodge 

 them, 1 directed a volley to be fired, three'cheers to be given, 

 and to dash across the river. We soon gained the opposite bank, 

 and continued our march, rendered still more difficult by the 

 underwood, which was here interlaced to that degree, as to 

 make it necessary sometimes to crawl on our hands and knees to 

 get along. We were harassed as usual by the Typees for about 

 a quarter of £1 mile through a thicket which, at almost any other 

 time, I should have considered impenetrable. On emerging from 



