porter's journal. 



187 



liimself to the trouble and the danger of intermeddhng with 

 the disputes of tribes residing comparatively at a distance 

 from him. But to such, unacquainted, as thej must be, 

 with the real siature of his situation, it will be enough to 

 say, that he found by experience, that the smallest relaxa- 

 tion in the system of order, established by me for the tran- 

 quillity of the island, was attended with the worst conse- 

 quences ; and that therefore, to follow up the policy of that 

 system, and to take a lively interest in all tlieir concerns, 

 were the best possible methods of consulting his own safety, 

 as well as the harmony and advantage of the natives them- 

 selves. The intercourse I held with them was founded 

 upon an unalterable determination to indulge them on all 

 proper occasions — to conciliate their good wishes, as far as 

 practicable — and to reconcile them to each other, a.* 

 speedily as possible, whenever a dispute arose ; and in pur- 

 suing the same course, lieut. Gamble had the satisfaction 

 to find, that his intercourse with them was placed upon the 

 best possible footing, at least for the present. On some 

 occasions indeed, it became necessary to resort to force, in 

 order to bring them to a sense of their duty ; but these were 

 chiefly when evil disposed persons excited their jealousy, 

 or circulated malicious rumours concerning their neigh- 

 bours or their friends. Having restored tranquillity among 

 the tribes at the lee Bay, as far as circumstances would 

 permit, and made a hearty dinner upon bread-fruit, roasted 

 bananas, and a hog nicely baked by the natives, lieut. 

 Gamble set out for the ships, with nineteen bunches of 

 banana, twenty-one swine, thirty cocoa-nuts, and some 

 bread-fruit, which the natives insisted on his receiving. 



On the 10th, the carpenter was employed in repairing the 

 boats, and all hands besides, in putting the vessels in order. 

 Fresh bread was daily issued to the crews, and swine killed 

 four times a week. No intelligence had been received 

 concerning the remote natives of the leeward bay, except 

 that they had slain a native, of the tribe at Lewis's Bay, 

 recently visited by lieut. Gamble, in revenge for the assas- 

 sination of him who came, ignorant of hostilities, up to the 

 village of the latter, a few days before. The recent rains 

 had caused every vegetable in the garden to put on the 

 most flourishing appearance, and to promise an early 

 return for the labour and attention' bestowed upon their 

 cultivation. 



