porter's journal. 



195 



however, to account for so lar^e a concourse, apparently 

 on so trivial an occasion, he directed the matches to be 

 . kept hghted, and the men to remain at their quarters, 

 , K whilst he went on shore to inquire the cause. On landing, 

 he was met by one of the chiefs, who stated, that they 

 had brought down a quantity of bread-fruit, and several 

 bunches of banana, which they intended as a present for 

 him. Lieut. Gamble accepted of the present, but still 

 could not account for so singular an instance of generosity. 

 Since the departure of the Essex, not more than fifty of the 

 natives had visited the encampment at any one time ; but, 

 on the present occasion, they amounted, in number, to at 

 least two or three hundred. Perhaps they were impressed 

 with the idea, that the ships were shortly to leave the 

 Island, and therefore brought down the bread-fruit and ba- 

 nanas as a last offering of their friendship and good will. 

 This appears the more probable, as heut. Gamble learnt 

 on the 24th, that some malicious person (whom he strongly 

 suspected to be Wilson, the interpreter,) had reported 

 among the natives, that Opotee would not return ; and that 

 the Americans intended to depart, in a few days, with two 

 of the vessels then at anchor in the Bay. 



The women of Kooaheevah possess a considerable degree 

 of cunning ; and though among us, the following instance 

 would not be deemed of any consequence, yet, in a rude, 

 uncultivated islander, it may well pass for an ingenious trick. 

 Lieut. Gamble noticed, for several days, that none of the 

 natives ventured out in their canoes to catch fish ; and 

 upon inquiry, he learnt, that an old woman had reported, 

 in their hearing, that he intended to carry them on board 

 one of the ships, and to confine them in irons, as soon as 

 he caught them out. It seems, she took this effectual 

 method to punish them for refusing her a regular supply of 

 fish, which she had recently demanded of them. 



In the evening of the 26th, the Seringapatam parted her 

 lower cable ; and nothing but the fasts between her and 

 the Sir Andrew Hammond prevented her from running on 

 shore. The following night, at 5 o'clock, she again parted 

 the same cable, and drifted in 15 feet water, (she drawing 

 full 14,) and before the hands had every thing properly 

 secured, the Sir Andrew Hammond floated within ten feet 

 of the rocks, and was in the utmost danger* Bv iadefati- 



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