182 



porter's journal. 



Under existing circumstances, however, it became ab- 

 solutely necessary to attack them before the departure of 

 the New Zealander, not alone to chastise them for their 

 rapacity and insolence, and to recover the stolen animals, 

 but to remove the impression of the weakness of the 

 Americans, under which they evidently now laboured. 

 Having therefore made the necessary arrangements to de- 

 fend themselves against an attack, of which there appeared 

 to be every prospect, in recovering: the swine, at 9 A. M. 

 on the 24th, he landed the whole of his effective force ; 

 having previously distributed the sick and the lame on 

 board the different ships, with orders to tire one cannon 

 from each ship, as soon as they heard the report of his 

 musket, which was the only signal he could then establish. 

 In addition to this, the guns were pricked, primed, and 

 properly directed to bear upon a village on the summit of 

 a hill, distant about one mile and a half, where he intended 

 to commence the attack. Ou this hill, a great number of 

 the natives had collected together, for the purpose of an- 

 noying the Americans as they marched up the valley. At 

 half past 9, Lieut, Gamble commenced his march, with 

 thirty-five armed rricn, in single file, having an officer in 

 front and rear, in order to show to the greatest advantage* 

 At 10 A. M. having advanced within a quarter of a mile of 

 the village, the signal musket was fired, and immediately 

 answered by the guns from the ships, and one from the 

 fort. The party then proceeded to the summit of the hill, 

 without opposition ; and on reaching it, to their great sur- 

 prise, instead of two or three thousand of the natives^ 

 prepared to attack them, they found only an old chief, who 

 advanced with a flag of truce. He stated, that his people, 

 on seeing so many white men advancing against them, had 

 all turned cowards, and fled over the hills, and that they 

 were now willing to replace all the swine they had killed 

 by others from their own stock. Lieut. Gamble replied, 

 that this was no more than what he had often requested ; 

 and since they had chosen to put him to the trouble of 

 marching against them, each village must agree to requite 

 him by sending down to the encampment forty swine, to- 

 gether with the thieves who had recently committed so 

 many depredations upon him. The chief rejoined, that so 

 far as respected the swine, they would accede to his terms : 



