P O k T£ R ' S JO IJ ii N A L . 



185 



upori ihe coast. What became of Tamaha^ siibsequently 

 to this event, is not known, except that he was claimed as 

 subject of Britain, and compelled to serve under her 

 flag. 



Lieut. Gamble now employed his men in filling the 

 ground tier of the ships with salt water ; and, to ensure 

 greater safety in the night, divided them into four watches. 



One watch was permitted to go ashore every night, at 

 4 A. M. under an express proviso to return on board in 

 the morning, or at any time of the !iight, when he tired a 

 musket as a signal of alarm. The New Zealander having 

 departed, and his effective force being thereby greatly 

 reduced, he thought proper to admonish them against the 

 smallest inattention to the duties assigned them ; and 

 above all, not to sleep during the watch. But notwith- 

 standing these salutary admonitions, so dull, or so incon- 

 siderate, were some of them, that two were caught asleep 

 in the first watch of the very same night, and, of conse- 

 quence, subjected themselves to chastisement, as well as 

 to a stoppage of their grog. 



The rain commenced again on the 31st. The day pre- 

 ceding, lieut. Gamble visited Lewis's Bay, with a view of 

 procuring bananas ; which he effected, without any diffi- 

 culty. The natives, though evidently alarmed, received 

 him with great kindness, and immediately made prepara- 

 tions to bake a hog for his repast ; but, as the night was 

 fast approaching, he declined the favour, and departed with 

 the present of two hogs, a quantity of cocoa-nuts, several 

 bunches of bananas, and a war-club from the old chief. 



The natives of the adjacent valley, since the late incur- 

 sion of the Americans, remained very quiet, and manifested 

 the greatest friendship towards them. They had brought 

 down to the encampment about five hundred cocoa-nuts, 

 and otherwise gave unequivocal tokens of their good will 

 and esteem. On the 2d of January, 1814, the rain came 

 down in torrents, and for the first time since his arrival at 

 the Marquesas, lieut. Gamble heard it thunder. Several 

 of the garden seeds had already come forth, and bore a 

 very fresh and flourishing appearance ; but as the mice 

 abounded greatly on the island, he was under considerable 

 apprehensions that they would totally destroy them. 



Having received information on the eighth, that the 



VOL. II. 24 



