PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
24 
©ut to me, on the top of one of the highest mountains. They have 
two of these strong places in this valley, one on the top of the 
aforesaid mountain, the other lower down the valley, and guarding 
one of the principal passes. The manner of fortifying those pla¬ 
ces, is to plant closely on end, the bodies of large trees, of forty- 
feet in length, and securing them together by pieces of timber 
strongly lashed across, presenting on the brow of a hill, difficult 
of access, a breast-work of considerable extent, ^hich* would re¬ 
quire European artillery to destroy. At the back of this a scaf¬ 
folding is raised, on which is placed a platform for the warriors, 
who ascend by the means of ladders, and thence shower down 
on their assailants spears and stones. The one at which Gattane- 
wa now was, is situated near a remarkable gap, cut through the 
mountain by the natives, to serve as a ditch or fosse, and must have 
required much labour in the execution: the other is more to the 
right, and as I before observed, lower down. I had no sooner under¬ 
stood that they had a chief, to whom I could address myself, than 
I felt anxious to see him: a messenger was therefore despatched 
ffir him; and after collecting my people I returned on board, where 
shortly after our arrival, I soon found every person anxious for 
the ship to be got into port and secured. Probably they had heard 
from those who had been on shore, of the friendly reception they 
had met with; and while I had some thoughts of putting to sea 
to wait a favourable opportunity to run in, application was made to 
warp the ship up, and in a few hours we had her secured in the 
bottom of the bay, on the starboard side, near a white sandy beach, 
and within half a mile of the shore. The Essex Junior had hove 
in sight about the time we commenced warping; but lieutenant 
Downes did not get his ship secured until late in the evening, 
when he came on board and informed me he had obtained no in¬ 
telligence of the vessel I had sent him in pursuit of. The prizes 
did not get in and secured until next day. 
When the ship was moored, the shore was lined with the na¬ 
tives of both sexes; but the females were most numerous, waving 
their white cloaks or cahoes for us to come on shore. Many ap¬ 
plications were made for me to permit them to accept the invita¬ 
tions, and I found it impossible any longer to resist. The boats 
were got out, and proceeded to the shore, where on landing, they 
