OUTRAGE IN THE ISLAND OF UA. 301 
facts, Mr. Nott, in a letter, dated May, 1825, con¬ 
tinues—^ 
“ The next island we called at was one of the 
Friendly Islands, Eooa , as written by Cook, and 
as we have it written on the charts, but which 
should be TJa. At this island, also, as there is no 
anchorage, we were obliged to stand off and on 
while the boat went on shore. Here a circum¬ 
stance took place, which, among many others, 
might be brought forward, to show the value of 
Missionary establishments. The boat reached 
the land with Capt. Forbes, the chief mate, and 
Mr. Torrance. They began to barter with the 
natives, and obtained several pigs, some plantains, 
cocoa-nuts, &c., but suddenly they were seized, 
and every thing was taken from them, without any 
offence being given. Axes were held over their 
heads, and knives applied to their throats; a rope 
was also brought, and formed with a noose, and 
hung over their heads, to signify to them what 
they must expect, if they offered to escape or resist. 
A ransom was then demanded, before they would 
let them return to us on board the brig, and 
the chief mate was sent off in the boat to fetch 
the property. But as it was dark when the boat 
reached the brig, it was not proper that she should 
return to the shore until morning. During the 
night, the prisoners, Capt. Forbes, Mr. Torrance, 
and another of the boat’s crew, were kept in the 
greatest terror, with a strict guard, and continual 
threats. In the morning, the boat was sent on 
shore with muskets, (or rather fowling-pieces of 
considerable value,) powder, and cloth, to the 
amount of £30 or £40, and a New Zealander, who 
was on board with us, was sent, to negotiate the 
affair, the people being afraid to venture on shore 
