the bodies of large trees of 40 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, which would require European Artillery to destroy. At the back of this, a scaffolding is raised, on which is placed a platform for the warriors, who ascend by the means of ladders, and from thence shower down on their assailants spears and stones. The one at which Gattaneuah 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 lower down.

I had no sooner understood that they had a chief to whom I could address myself, than I felt anxious to see him: a messenger was therefore despatched for 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 for 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.

When the ship was moored, the shore was lined with the natives of both sexes, but the females were more numerous, waving their white cloaks or leahaes for us to come on shore. Many applications were made for me to permit them to accept the invitations, and I found it impossible any longer to resist. The boats were got out, and proceeded to the shore, where, on landing, they were taken complete possession of by the females, who insisted on going to the ship, and in a short time she was completely filled by them, of all sizes and descriptions, from the age of 60 years to that of 10; some as remarkable for their beauty as others for their ugliness.

The object of the greatest value at this as well as all the other islands of this group, is whales' teeth; this I had understood while I was on shore, and knowing that there were several of them on board the frigate, I determined, if possible, to secure the whole of

them at any price; as I had been informed that hogs, the only animal food on the island, could be procured for no other article. No jewel, however valuable, is half so much esteemed in Europe, as a whale's tooth here. I have seen them by fits laugh and cry at the possession of one of those darling treasures. Ivory, however finely wrought, bears no comparison in their estimation, and is worn by the lower and poorer classes, made in the form of whales' teeth and ear ornaments, while the whales' teeth are worn only by persons of rank and wealth.

Soon after I had sent my present on shore, Gattaneuah came on board in a boat which I had sent for him, accompanied by the Chauny.

I had seen several of their warriors since I had arrived, many of them highly ornamented with plumes formed of the feathers of Caches and man of war birds; large tufis of hair were tied around their waists, ankles, and loins; a cloak, sometimes of red cloth, but most frequently of a white paper cloth, formed of the bark of a tree, thrown, not inelegantly, over the shoulders, with large round or oval ornaments in their ears, formed of whales' teeth, ivory, or a kind of soft and light wood whitened with chalk. From their neck is suspended a whale's tooth or highly polished shell, and around their loins several turns of the stronger kind of paper cloth, the end of which hangs before in the manner of an apron. This, with a black and highly polished spear of about 12 feet in length, or a club richly carved and borne on the shoulders, constitutes the dress and equipment of a native warrior, whose body is highly and elegantly ornamented by tattooing, executed in a manner to excite our admiration. This is a faithful picture of a warrior; and of the chief of such warriors I had formed an exalted opinion; but what was my astonishment when Gattaneuah presented himself. An infirm old man of 70 years of age, destitute of every covering or ornament, except a piece of linen about his loins, and a palm leaf tied about his head; a long stick served to assist him in walking; his face and body were as black as a negro's, from the quantity of tattooing, which entirely covered them. His skin was rough, and appeared to be pealing off in scales from the quantity of kava, an intoxicating root with which he had indulged himself; such was the figure that Gattaneuah presented; and as

he had drank freely of the kava before he made his visit, he ap peared to be perfectly stupid. After he had been a short time on deck, I endeavoured to impress him with a high opinion of our force; and for this purpose assembled all my crew; it scarcely seemed to excite his attention. I then caused a gun to be fired, which seemed to produce no other effect on him than that of pain; he complained that it hurt his ears; I then invited him below, when nothing whatever excited his attention, until I showed him some whales' teeth. This roused the old man from his lethargy, and he would not be satisfied until I had permitted him to handle, to measure, and count them over and over, which seemed to afford him infinite pleasure; after he had done this repeatedly, I put them away, and shortly afterwards asked him if he had seen any thing in the ship that pleased him; if he did, to name it, and it should be his he told me he had seen nothing that pleased him so much as one of the small whales' teeth, which, on his describing, I took out and gave him; this he carefully wrapped up, begging me not to inform any person that he had about him an article of so much value; I assured him I should not; and the old man threw himself on the settee and went to sleep. In a few minutes be awoke somewhat recovered from his stupidity, and requested to be put on shore; he, however, previous to his departure, wished me to exchange names with him, and requested me to assist him in his war with the Happahs; to the first I immediately consented, but to the latter request I told him I had come to be at peace with all the island; that I wished to see him at peace with the Happahs, and that I should not engage in any hostilities unless the Happahs came into the valley, in which case I should protect him and his people. He told me they had cursed the bones of his mother, who had died but a short time since; that as we had exchanged names, she was now my mother, and I was bound to espouse her cause. I said I would think on the subject, and did not deem it necessary to make any further reply to the old man's sophistry.

Next morning he sent me a present consisting of hogs, and several boat loads of cocoa nuts and plantains, which were distributed among the crews of the different vessels.

I now unbent my sails and sent them on shore, landed my wa

ter casks, with which I formed a complete enclosure, sufficiently spacious to answer all our purposes. The ship was haled close in with the beach, and we began in good earnest to make our repairs. A tent was pitched within the enclosure, and the place put under the protection of a guard of marines. In the afternoon several officers went on shore to visit the villages, when I perceived a large body of the Happahs, descending from the mountains into the valley, among the bread fruit trees, which they soon began to destroy. I immediately fired guns, and made a signal for every person to repair on board, apprehensive that some might be cut off by them, as the friendly natives had not seemed to notice this descent. The firing of the guns soon occasioned the main body to halt, and shortly afterwards the whole returned up the mountains, as the friendly tribes had turned out to oppose them. Those who were on shore had returned on board, and as the Happahs had descended to within half a mile of our camp, and had succeeded in destroying 200 bread fruit trees, it became necessary to be more on our guard against their enterprise. My messenger shortly afterwards returned from among them to say, that notwithstanding my injunctions they had come into the valley and destroyed the bread fruit trees and we had not opposed them, that they believed we were cowards, and they should soon visit our camp and carry off our sails. Believing from what I had already seen, that they were capable of attempting the execution of their threat, I determined to be prepared for them, and with this view I caused one fourth of each ship's company to be landed every evening with their arms, as a guard for the camp, allowing them, at the same time, to stroll about the valley. The natives had now assembled in great numbers on the outside of the enclosure. They were fond of presents, which they called a Tiehe, and which at first consisted of pieces of an iron hoop, but in a few days this coin became no longer current; then the iron hoops were fashioned by the seamen into a tool somewhat in the form of a plane iron, which being lashed by several close turns of sennet on a crooked stick, is used by the natives as a short handled adze, and is called by them a Tahay. This passed very well for a few days, but they soon found out the cheat, and required something of more value; our men had money, which was offered them, but

was rejected as trash; clothing they had given until they had scarcely any left for themselves; junk bottles were in great demand, and always passed current.

I had caused a tent to be erected on shore for myself, as believing my presence necessary there to preserve order, and my health required that I should remain on shore some time, after being so long confined to the ship.

The threat of the Happahs had somewhat provoked me. I did not view this people as mere savages, but as intelligent beings, having proper ideas of right and wrong; I thought, however, that before I went to extremities, I would try if I could not frighten them out of their hostile notions. Gattaneuah made daily applications for assistance, and I at length told him if his people would carry a heavy gun, a six pounder, up to the top of a high moun. tain which I pointed out to him, I would send men up to work it and drive away the Happahs, who still kept possession of the hills; this was unanimously agreed to by every male inhabitant of the valley; I landed the gun, but did not suppose them capable of carrying it half way to the place fixed on; I supposed, however, it would terrify the Happahs, and if it was attended with no other advantage, it would occupy the natives for a week or fortnight, and keep them from our camp, as the numbers who resorted there had already caused us some embarrassment, and I apprehended would cause us more.

On the gun being landed, I caused a few shot to be fired, to convince them of the distance the balls would have effect: first, a shot was fired with the gun considerably elevated; they seemed much surprised at the length of time it remained in the air, and many had given up all expectation of seeing it fall, and a general shout of admiration marked the time of its fall in the water. I now directed the gun to be fired that the ball might skip along the surface of the water, and at every bound of the shot they gave a general shout of applause, as if all were operated upon by the same impulse: and last of all, I directed her to be fired with grape shot, which seemed to afford them more pleasure than all the rest; they hugged and kissed the gun, laid themselves beside it, and fondled it with the utmost delight, and at length slung it on two long poles, and carried it toward the mountains. On