PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
93' 
UJ it could be brought to us. I mentioned my intentions to my 
people, exhorted them to save their ammunition as much as possi¬ 
ble, and despatched lieutenant Gamble with a detachment of four 
men to the beach, there to take a boat and proceed to the Essex 
Junior for a fresh supply. We were from the time of his depar¬ 
ture chiefly occupied in eluding the stones which came with re¬ 
doubled force and numbers. Our fire had become slackened, a few 
muskets only occasionally were fired to convince them we were 
not yet disposed to retreat. My number was now reduced to nine¬ 
teen men; there was no officer but myself; the Indians had all de¬ 
serted me except Mouina; and to add to our critical and danger¬ 
ous situation, three of the men remaining with me were knocked 
down with stones. Mouina begged me to retreat, crying matteei 
mattee! The wounded entreated me to permit the others to cany 
them to the beach, but I had none to spare to accompany them. 
I saw no hopes of succeeding against them, so long as they kept 
their strong hold; and determined to endeavour to draw them out 
by a feint retreat, and by this means to gain some advantage. For 
to return without gaining some advantage would, I believed, have 
rendered an attack from the Happahs certain. I communicated 
my intentions; directed the wounded to be taken care of; gave or¬ 
ders for all to run until we were concealed by the bushes, and then 
halt. We retreated for a few paces, and in an instant the Indians 
rushed on us with hideous yells. The first and second which ad¬ 
vanced were killed at the distance of a few paces, and those who 
attempted to carry them off were wounded. This checked 
them, they abandoned their dead and precipitately retreated to 
their fort. Not a moment was now to be lost in gaining the oppo¬ 
site side of the river. Taking advantage of the terror they were 
thrown into, we marched off with our wounded. Scarcely had we. 
crossed the river before we were attacked with stones; but here 
they halted, and we returned to the beach much fatigued and har~ 
rassed with marching and fighting, and with no contemptible opi¬ 
nion of the enemy we had encountered or the difficulties we should 
have to surmount in conquering them. 
On my arrival I found the boat which had been missing, to¬ 
gether with a reinforcement of men from the Essex Junior, and a 
supply of ammunition. I was desirous of sound,mgr the Typees 
