100 



porter's journal. 



tribe, ready, at the first good opportunity, to shake off the 

 yoke ; the Shoueraes and some others, if not conquered by 

 our arms, were so by the apprehensions of them. They 

 had been led to believe that no force could resist us, and 

 had they been convinced that the Typee? could keep us at 

 bay, they must have felt satisfied that their united forces 

 were capable of destroying us. A coalition would have 

 been fatal to us — it was my duty to prevent it — -and I saw 

 no means of succeeding but by reducing the Typees before 

 they could come to an understanding with the other tribes. 

 By placing all on the same footing, I hoped to bring about 

 a general peace, and secure the future tranquillity of the 

 Island. 



Wars are not always just, and are rarely free from excess- 

 es. However I may regret the harshness with which mo- 

 tives of self-preservation, that operate every where, com- 

 pelled me to treat these high-spirited and incorrigible peo- 

 ple, my conscience acquits me of any injustice ; and no 

 excesses were committed, but what the Typees had it in 

 their power to stop by ceasing hostilities. The evils they 

 experienced they brought upon themselves, and the blood 

 of their relations and friends must be on their own heads. 

 Had no opposition been made, none would have been kill- 

 ed — had they wished for peace, it would have been grant- 

 ed ; but proud of the honour of being the greatest warriors 

 on the island, they believed themselves invincible, and 

 hoped to insult all others with impunity. 



A large assemblage of Typee warriors were posted on 

 the opposite banks of the river (which glided near the foot 

 of the mountain) and dared us to descend, in their rear 

 was a fortified village, secured by strong stone walls ; drums 

 were beatingand war conchs were sounding in several parts, 

 and we soon found they were disposed to make every 

 effort to oppose us. I gave orders to descend ; Mouina 

 offered himself as our guide, and I directed him to lead us 

 to their principal village. But finding the fatigue of going 

 down the mountain greater than I expected, 1 gave orders 

 to halt before crossing the river, to give time for the reap 

 to close, which had become much scattered, and that all 

 might rest. As soon as we reached the foot of the moun- 

 tain we were annoyed by a shower of stones from the 

 bushes, and from behind the stone walls ; but as we were 



