A very few men could have done us much mischief, had they been tolerable marksmen and stood their ground.

To approach the village we had to pass between long lines of mangrove bushes, and I was assured by Whippy, who had been before on a war-party with a formidable force against these natives and been beaten off, that we should have something more than a mere show of resistance to encounter. Under this expectation we proceeded forwards; but all was silent, and no impediment was offered to our course.

When near the beach the boats were anchored, and the officers and men jumped overboard, and waded in about two feet water to the shore. Every thing was conducted with the most perfect order; the three divisions landed; Captain Hudson, with two, proceeded to burn and destroy the town, and the third remained on the beach as a reserve to protect the boats, for I was apprehensive that an attack might be made on them by those on the other side of the bay, a great many of whom were visible, armed, and apparently ready for a fight. The precaution I had taken to let them know, through Whippy, that I held their chiefs as hostages, and that their safety depended upon the good conduct of the townspeople, I felt was some security, but I had made up my mind not to trust the natives in any way. I therefore kept a large force under my own charge to repel any attack on the boats, and act as a reserve should it become necessary.

The town was soon fired, but the anxiety of some of the sailors to make a blaze, induced them to fire one or two of the thick thatched roofs to windward, while the rest of the party had gone to begin the work of destruction to leeward. The whole village was in consequence soon wrapped in sheets of flame, and many of the men were exposed to danger on their return, from the intense heat of the burning buildings. So close was the resemblance of the noise made by the bursting of the bamboo canes, (of which material the houses are for the most part built,) to a running fire of musketry, that every one believed that a general fight was taking place in the parts distant and opposite to him.

About an hour sufficed to reduce the whole to ashes, leaving the village a heap of smoking ruins. We then returned to our boats in the same good order in which we landed.

The town of Tye contained about sixty dwellings, built of bamboo, besides a number of yam-houses, wherein they had gathered their crops. The upper and outer yams were well roasted, but the heat from the light material was of short duration, so that few in reality were lost. Another small collection of yam-houses, about a quarter of a mile distant, was also burnt.

Few things were found in the town, for the natives had removed all the articles that could be carried away. Three or four weeks of labour would, therefore, suffice to rebuild their houses, and restore them to the same state as before the burning.

There was no opposition made to this attack; all the Feejee men had retired out of gun-shot, and were only now and then seen from behind the bushes, or on some craggy peak on the sides of the neighbouring hills, from which they were occasionally dislodged by our rockets. This firework produced consternation, and dispersed them in every direction. As the boats were pulling off from the shore, a few balls fell near us, but did no damage.

As we pulled off, the launch (Lieutenant Perry) was just seen making her appearance, having got aground in the passage up, and lain the whole of the tide. His men being much exhausted, were transferred to the tender, and others put in their stead. We then all set out for the ships, which we reached a little before midnight.

The infliction of this punishment I deemed necessary; it was efficiently and promptly done, and, without the sacrifice of any lives, taught these savages a salutary lesson.

In the first cutter was private and public property to the value of over one thousand dollars, which was all lost.

By reference to my instructions, it will be seen that cases of theft were expressly mentioned as occasions that might require punishment to be inflicted on the natives; yet this transaction formed the gist of one of the charges preferred against me by the administration, on my return to the United States.

The conduct of the officers and men on this occasion showed a promptness and energy that were highly creditable, and gave me the assurance that they were as much to be depended upon in dangers of this description, as I had hitherto found them in others.

The next day having become satisfied that the Sualib chiefs who had been detained by Lieutenant Perry had really meant to act a friendly part, I determined, for the purpose of making the contrast as strong as possible between those who had offered aid and those who had stolen the cutter, to reward the former for their good intentions.* The next morning, all hands were called on deck, and the prisoners

* It must be borne in mind, that any canoe or vessel, whether native or foreign, when driven on shore, is accounted an offering to the gods. All that it contains is considered as belonging to the chief of the district where the accident happens, and the people on board are at once sacrificed. The opinion I formed of the intentions of the two chiefs who swam off to Lieutenant Perry, was, that they expected an accident to occur to the launch, and being with her, could have at once claimed her as their own, and would have protected the lives of those on board from the multitude by the authority they held over them.

brought to the gangway in irons, expecting that their time was now come, and exhibiting great fear, both in their countenances and trembling limbs. Through David Whippy, I then told them, that although appearances were at first against them, I had satisfied myself that they intended to act a friendly part in assisting the launch, and as they had taken no share in the robbery and capture of the boat, and the people of their town had done nothing to molest us, instead of punishing them, I should reward them with presents, and send them back safely to their town. The joy that was depicted on their countenances at this change can readily be imagined. Their irons were then removed, and the presents given.

After thanking the officers and men for their good conduct in this affair, we piped down, and our several occupations were resumed.

During the time that these chiefs were prisoners on board, a chief of this bay, who called himself Tui Mbua, (after the old chief of that name who has already been spoken of,) came on board, to beg that he might have the bodies of the prisoner chiefs to eat, expecting of course, they were to be killed. The request was made to one of the officers, (Mr. Vanderford,) who had been in this place before, and who spoke the Feejee language. It is said that such a request is considered the greatest token of Feejee friendship, and it is believed that this was the inducement in the present case.

The two chiefs remained on board some days, in consequence of the difficulty of sending them back, for the boats that attempted it were obliged to return, in consequence of the fresh trade-wind which was blowing.

They afterwards requested permission to be set on shore, as they would prefer going home by land, which was accordingly done.

During their stay on board, many of their customs were obtained from them, through the interpreter. The youngest, as I have before stated, was a high chief, and a person of some consequence, and what is remarkable for a Feejee man, was fond of music. He sang, of course, in the manner of his country. From him Mr. Drayton obtained the music, and through the interpreter, the words of the song. The character of the music is the same as that heard from others. It is as follows:

toa ku la

ka tangi ta ka re

An- dra

tha...

Take ye the garland that I have been making,
That the ladies may make a great noise in coming.

Let us go to the thungiawa, (a house.)

The mother of Thangi-lemba was vexed,

Why did you give away our dance?

The basket of dance-fees is empty.

This world is a world of trouble,

They will not succeed in learning to dance,

The sun goes down too soon in Muthuata.

The music of the Feejee Islanders is more rude than that of any people we have had communication with in the South Seas. The men rarely care for music, nor have they any pleasure in musical sounds. The tones of the violin, acordion, flute, and musical-box, which caused so much delight among other islanders, had no charms for them. Their attention is seldom riveted by these instruments, and they will walk off insensible to the sweetest notes. Mr. Drayton says that all their attempts at singing are confined to the major key, and that he does not recollect to have heard a single sound in the minor.

Although the Feejeeans have little knowledge of musical sounds, and apparently care not for them, yet they are fond of verse-making, and appreciate the difficulties they have to encounter in their compositions, and according to Mr. Hale, in some of them the manner of rhyming is peculiar and difficult, as they are obliged to confine themselves throughout the stanzas to those vowels which are contained in the two last syllables of the first line of a stanza. For further information I must refer the reader to the Philological Report.

The men's voices in speaking are generally higher than those of the natives of the other groups, but some of them speak in a full deep tone. The females speak in a higher note than the Samoans or Tongese; their voices are very agreeable, full of intonations and musical force, giving expression to every thing they say.

On the 16th of July, the tender and boats being prepared, I ordered the following officers upon an expedition: Assistant-Surgeon Fox, Acting-Master Sinclair, Passed Midshipman Eld, and Mr. Agate, to accompany me in the tender; Lieutenant Alden and Midshipman Henry in the first, and Lieutenant Underwood in the second cutter of the Vincennes; Lieutenant Emmons and Midshipman Clark in the first cutter of the Peacock. The boats being fully manned and armed, left the vessels in the afternoon, for the island of Anganga.

Orders were left with Captain Hudson to resurvey the Bay of Mbua, (for I was not satisfied with the survey that had been made,) including the outlying reef, and after having completed this duty, to proceed with the Peacock round to Muthuata, and then return for the Vincennes. It