porter's journal. 



9S 



or four in breadth, surrounded on every part, except the 

 beach, where we formerly landed, by lofty mountains. 

 The upper part was bounded by a precipice of many hun- 

 dred feet in height, from the top of which a handsome 

 sheet of water was precipitated, and formed a beautiful 

 river, which ran meandering through the valley, and dis- 

 charged itself at the beach. Villages were scattered here 

 and there, the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees flourished 

 luxuriantly and in abundance ; plantations laid out in good 

 order, enclosed with stone walls, were in a high state of 

 cultivation, and every thing bespoke industry, abundance, 

 and happiness. Never in my life did I witness a more de- 

 lightful scene, or experience more repugnancy than I now 

 felt, for the necessity which compelled me to make war 

 against this happy and heroic people. 



Many may censure my conduct as wanton and unjust* 

 In the security of the fireside, and under the protection of 

 the laws which are their safeguards, at all times, they may 

 question the motives of my conduct, and deny the necessity 

 which compelled me to pursue it. But let such reflect a 

 moment on our peculiar situation — a handful of men resi- 

 ding among numerous warlike tribes, liable every moment 

 to be attacked by them, and all cut off; our only hopes of 

 safety was in convincing them of our great superiority over 

 them, and from what we have already seen, we must either 

 attack them or be attacked. I had received many wanton 

 provocations from them ; they refused to be on friendly 

 terms with us ; they attacked and insulted our friends, for 

 being such; and repeated complaints were made to me on 

 the subject. I had borne with their reproaches, and my 

 moderation was called cowardice. I offered them friend- 

 ship, and my offers were rejected with insulting scorn. I 

 sent to them messengers, and they were dismissed with 

 blows ; hostilities had been commenced by them, and they 

 believed they had obtained an advantage over us. A mere 

 thread connected us with the other tribes ; that once 

 broken, our destruction was almost inevitable. They fear- 

 ed us and were our friends ; should there be no longer 

 cause for fear, should they no longer believe us invincible, 

 instead of hostilities with the single tribe of Typees, we 

 should, in all probability, have been at war with all on the 

 island. The Happahs considered themselves a conquered 



