d to procure for us, and to
send them on board, earnestly making signs all the time that we should go
away as soon as possible.

ALARM OF THE NATIVES.

Finding the natives still coming down to the beach in great numbers, and
that all were in a highly excited state, we merely gratified our
curiosity on the beach, without attempting to go into their village, and
returned on board.

We subsequently found out that the natives had some reason to be alarmed
at our appearance, as they had been recently visited by a frigate, sent
by the Dutch government to punish the inhabitants of the neighbouring
island Laarat for the murder of Captain Harris, and part of the crew of
the English bark Alexander, on which occasion she destroyed the village
and took away several of the natives, who were supposed to have been
implicated in the business, prisoners to Amboyna.

After about an hour, during which the natives remained in a compact group
on the beach, evidently in deep consultation, the same chief who visited
us in the morning came off again, bringing with him the promised
supplies, consisting only of a billy-goat and a small pig. We tried some
time in vain to convince him we had no hostile intentions, and as the
weather was too unsettled to remain in so insecure an anchorage, we
weighed, and made sail for Oliliet, passing close along the island of
Vordate, which is moderately high, luxuriantly wooded, very well
cultivated, and apparently densely inhabited. It is separated from Laarat
by a narrow strait, which, from the way the sea broke across it, appeared
to be quite shoal.

RETURN TO OLILIET.

April 11.

At 10 A.M. we were off Laouran, but finding the swell, occasioned by the
strong breezes experienced yesterday, was breaking too heavily on the
reef skirting the bay for a boat to land, we stood on for Oliliet, and on
rounding the point fired a gun and hove to. Two canoes soon after left
the beach, and from the number of articles of European manufacture with
which they were decorated, we soon saw that some vessel must have visited
the place since our departure; and on the chief coming on board he handed
me some papers, from which I ascertained that Mr. Watson, commanding the
Essington schooner, had visited the place during our absence; and by
having a person on board who could communicate with the natives, he had
succeeded by threats and promises held out to the chiefs in getting the
European boy given up to him. The boy had