landers to go up to the tents, which were now more than a mile from
the beach, and then walking down under cover of the trees, rushed to the
canoes, and putting one man in each with their muskets and ammunition,
shoved them off and made them fast to the coral rocks, about two hundred
yards distant. The screams of the women, and the shoving off of the
canoes, alarmed the men, who hastened down to ascertain the cause. As
soon as they came within half musket shot, the sailors who were on
shore, amounting to twenty-five, fired a volley out of the wood, which
killed and wounded a great number. The islanders retreated in confusion,
then gave a loud shout and advanced. Another volley was fired, and they
again retreated, bearing off their killed and wounded. They now held a
consultation, which ended in their dividing into two bodies, one of
which separated from the other, so that they might attack the party in
the wood from two different points.

In the meantime several of the women leaped overboard and swam on shore,
and the men in the boats were so busy in preventing the others from
following, that they could give no assistance to the party in the wood,
although they were within musket-shot. The conduct of the islanders
puzzled our men, and although I had taken no part in this murderous
attack, yet as I now considered my life at stake, I thought that I must
assist. I therefore advised them to retreat to the ship, which, if they
once gained possession of, they would be enabled to keep the islanders
at bay. My advice was followed, and creeping through the thick
underwood, we reached the ship in safety, having climbed up by
rope-ladders, which were hanging from her, to enable us to go on board,
to fetch any articles we required. We hauled them up after us, and
waited the issue. In a few minutes, one of the parties of the islanders
came up, and seeing the ship with us on board, gave a loud yell, and let
fly their spears. We returned a volley which killed many, but they were
very brave, and continued the attack although we fired twenty or thirty
rounds with great execution.

The other party now came up, and the conflict continued; they made every
attempt to climb the stern and sides of the vessel, but were repulsed;
and as the evening closed in, they retired, taking away their killed and
wounded, which we estimated at two hundred men. When they retreated, we
fired some of our large guns in that direction, as much to frighten the