precaution to erase all marks that might indicate where these unfortunate gentlemen were interred. I felt as if to refrain from marking the spot where they were laid, deprived us of one of the consolations that alleviate the loss of a relative and friend, but was relieved when it occurred to me to fix a more enduring mark on that place, by naming the island after my nephew, "Henry," and the pretty cluster of which it forms one," Underwood Group."

Places remote from the grave were now more disturbed by footsteps and digging than the grave itself, and our tracks were obliterated from the sand, leaves being thrown about to obscure all indications that might lead the wary savage to the resting-place of the dead.

We wandered about the beach a short time, after which we embarked and weighed our anchor to return to Malolo. Shortly after, we discovered the Porpoise entering the Malolo Passage, with whom we soon joined company, and anchored again in the bay on the east side. of Malolo before dark.

Preparations were now actively commenced to punish the actors in this foul deed; the arms were prepared, and the parties duly organized in the course of the night.

Upon the island there are two towns, Sualib and Arro. The former was on the southwest side, and the residence of the principal actors in the massacre. Upon this I intended to inflict the heaviest blow. The latter, whose inhabitants had also taken a part in the tragedy, and whose unprovoked hostility had been exhibited by their firing upon the boats from the mangrove-bushes, I determined to burn to the ground. It was also necessary to be prepared upon the water to prevent any attempt at escape, or the more desperate effort to capture the vessels, necessarily left under a feeble guard. The two latter objects were connected, and for this purpose I kept under my own immediate command, my gig, the first cutters of the Vincennes and Peacock, under Lieutenants Alden and Emmons, and the tender's boat, under Midshipman Clark.

The party which was to land and attack Sualib, was placed under the orders of Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold. It was composed of seventy officers and men, of the crews of the Porpoise and tender, with a few men from the boats, and was arranged in three divisions, under Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold himself, Lieutenants Johnson and Maury. To the party were also attached Lieutenant North, Passed Midshipmen Sinclair and Eld, with Assistant-Surgeon Holmes and Mr. Agate.

The party had orders* after landing, to move upon Sualib, destroy* For orders, see Appendix XIII. 35

VOL. III.

ing all the plantations they should meet on their way, sparing none except women and children. They were then to march across the island to Arro, and join me for the purpose of re-embarking. Acting-Master Totten, who was too unwell to assist in active operations on shore, was left in charge of the brig, with such of the crew as were on the sicklist, and had orders to prevent the natives escaping across the channel to Malolo-lailai.

My plan of attack, and the operations which resulted from it, will be understood by reference to the annexed diagram of Malolo.

Sualib

MALODO

Malolo lailai

The anchor represents the brig's position. 1. Place of landing. 2. Boats' anchorage. 3. Position of boats off Sualib. 4. Point where the two canoes were captured. 5. Where Lieutenant Emmons met the canoes. 6. Sand-bank. 7. Hill on which the natives sued for mercy.

Track of boats and shore party.

Tom Granby, the pilot, with three men, were left to get the tender under way, and proceed with her to the north side of the island, to cover our landing at the town of Arro.

The parties were all fully armed, and were provided with port-fires, and rockets ("fiery spirits"), which we had found so efficient on a former occasion.

Nine o'clock in the morning was the hour appointed for landing

Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold's force, which was effected in good order, and the party being arranged in its three divisions, marched off. Before the disembarkation was effected, two natives endeavoured to pass over to Malolo-lailai, but a well-directed shot from Mr. Totten compelled them to return.

As soon as Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold's party had moved off, two canoes were seen turning the point of Malolo-lailai. I gave immediate orders to chase and intercept them, when, if they were from any other island, they were to be directed to return on their course, but if belonging to Malolo, they were to be captured. All the boats pulled out, and Lieutenant Emmons, who took the lead, succeeded in cutting them off from the shore. Through Oahu Sam, he found that they belonged to Malolo, and the men in Lieutenant Emmons's boat were so much excited that they at once fired several muskets into the canoes, by which some of the persons in them were struck; the rest immediately jumped overboard, and swam in various directions. By this time I had approached near enough to order the firing to cease, and quarter to be given. The swimmers were then picked up. Among them were found one of the chiefs of Arro, the town we were about to attack, with a woman, a girl, and an infant. I directed the three last to be set on shore and liberated, telling them we did not war against women and children. The men I sent on board the brig, to be put in irons, and had the canoes towed alongside of her.

I now found that the tender had grounded on the only shoal in the bay, and as the tide was rapidly falling, I knew it was useless to attempt to get her off. I therefore left her with Tom Granby, mortified at his bad luck, and disappointed in not having to play a conspicuous part as her commander, for which he had evidently prepared himself.

The boats now pulled towards the north end of the island. As we proceeded in that direction, towards the town of Arro, which I now intended to attack, we heard a distant hail from the shore-party, who were on the top of the ridge of the island, informing us that five canoes were in sight to the northward, standing for the island.

As soon as we reached the town of Arro, perceiving no natives to oppose us, I despatched Lieutenant Emmons to pull towards the approaching canoes and intercept them, while with the rest of the boats' crews the town of Arro was burnt. In doing this we met with no hindrance, for although the place was large, evidently populous, and well fortified with a ditch and fence, it was found deserted. Many of the male inhabitants, as I afterwards learned, had gone to Sualib, to aid in the defence of that town, while others had accompanied the

women and children to the mountains, whither all their movable property had also been carried. This fact shows that the islanders were not ignorant of the consequences that were likely to follow the murder of our officers, and had made timely preparations to resist our attack on one of the towns, and save themselves from serious loss a the other.

Having completed the destruction of Arro, I proceeded in the gig towards the northwest point of the island, for the purpose of joining Lieutenant Emmons, on rounding which, I observed the smoke of the burning of Sualib. As I pulled around the island, I saw many of the natives on the highest peaks, whither they had retreated for safety, and others upon the beach, who, on seeing the boat, fled towards the mountains. In pursuit of these, the " fiery spirits," were frequently sent, to their great alarm. When I had proceeded far enough to get a view of the bay in front of Sualib, neither boat nor canoes were in sight, and I turned back, to rejoin the other boats off Arro.

On reaching them, Lieutenant Alden reported that he had executed the orders, and had, at high water, towed off or destroyed all the canoes. During my absence, an old man had ventured down to the beach, with two others in his company, and made signs that he wished to speak with them. They held a parley with him, through the interpreter, and learned that he was the chief of Arro. He told them that he was houseless, had lost his property, his son, and many of his people; he declared that his village had nothing to do with the killing of the Papalangis, and offering pigs, &c., as presents, begged that we would not punish him any farther.

Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, with his party, reached Arro just at sunset. His three divisions were separated immediately after they landed, in order to cover more space, and more effectually to destroy the plantations. The division under Lieutenant Maury was the first to approach Sualib. As soon as the natives got sight of it, they set up shouts of defiance. No signs of fear were exhibited, but on the contrary, every proof of a determination to resist.

Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold in a short time came up with his division, and on examining the defences of the town, thought it expedient to await the arrival of Lieutenant Johnson. Upon the latter officer coming up, which was shortly after, the three parties descended the hill, and approached the ditch of the town. The natives boldly sallied out to meet them, with a discharge of arrows, and exhibited the utmost confidence. They in truth believed their town to be impregnable, for it had hitherto withstood every attack made by Feejee

warriors. Its defences evinced no little skill in engineering: a ditch twelve feet wide and full of mud and water, surrounded the whole; next came a strong palisade, built of cocoa-nut trunks, placed four or five feet apart, among which was here and there a living tree; this palisade was united by a fence of wicker-work, about ten feet high, so strong and dense as to defy all attempts to penetrate or even see through it; inside of the palisade was a second ditch, recently excavated, the earth thrown up from which formed a parapet about four feet in thickness, and as many in height. In the ditch the defenders sheltered themselves, and only exposed their heads when they rose to shoot through the loopholes left in the palisade. As the whole party continued to approach the fortification, our men spread out so as to outflank the skirmishers, and by a few rockets and a shower of balls showed them that they had different enemies from Feejee men to deal with. This compelled them to retire within the fortification, and abandon all on its outside to destruction. When the skirmishers had retired into the fortress, all united in loud shouts of lako-mai (come on!), flourishing their spears and clubs.

Our party having approached within about seventy feet of the stockade, opened its fire on the fortification. Now was seen, what many of those present had not before believed, the expertness with which these people dodge a shot at the flash of a gun. Those who were the most incredulous before, were now satisfied that they could do this effectually.

For about fifteen minutes an obstinate resistance was kept up with musketry and arrows. In this the women and children were as actively engaged as the men, and all made a prodigious clamour. After the above time, the noise diminished, the defence slackened, and many were seen to make their escape from a gate which was intentionally left unattacked, carrying the dead and wounded on their backs. A rocket, of which several had already been tried without visible effect, now struck one of the thatched roofs; a native sprung up to tear it off, but that moment was his last, and the roof immediately burst into flames. Upon this Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold recalled several officers who were desirous of storming the town through its small gate, an attempt, which even if successful, must have been attended with loss of life on our part, and which the success of the rocket practice rendered unnecessary. To force the gate would have been a difficult operation, had it been defended with the least pertinacity, for it was constructed in the manner of a fish-weir. The natives, as has been seen, had, in addition to their arrows, clubs, spears, and muskets; but the latter were so unskilfully handled as to