path could be easily defended by a small body of men against ten
times their number, as they could roll down large stones upon their
enemies while they approached. Knowing the strength of their position,
the natives of this place had become the pest of the neighbourhood.
They sallied forth and committed great depredations on the villages near
them--carrying away the women into slavery, and killing the men for
food!

On approaching the place the war-party saw that the natives, by their
antics, were challenging and defying them. When they landed and could
hear what they said, they made out their speech of defiance to be, "We
are extremely tired of waiting for you, especially as we have been
expecting this visit so long: but as you have at last made your
appearance, we are quite ready to begin at once. We would remind you,
at the same time, that we are well supplied with stones, and, if these
fail, we have also a good store of British sand (gunpowder), and plenty
of pills (musket-balls), which we will bestow upon you very generously.
We see that you have got the Feejees and Tongas with you, but we hope
you will not have the folly and impudence to attack us until you have
collected the whole world to help you!"

To this contemptuous speech the war-party made a somewhat similar reply.
After they had thus abused each other for some time, three of the
people of the hill ventured half-way down the path, where they stood and
dared any, or the whole, of their enemies to come up. As it was not,
however, the intention of the war-party to assault the stronghold at
that time, they declined the invitation, but, happening to possess
several old muskets, which they had procured, no doubt, from traders,
they fired a volley at the three challengers, killed them all on the
spot, and, rushing up, caught the bodies as they rolled down the path.

The corpses were then fastened to a pole in a sitting posture, and
placed in the canoe of the chief, who resumed his voyage, his warriors
singing out, "Satiko, satiko," (Good-bye, good-bye), and telling the
people of Male that they would call again upon them shortly, as their
place was so conveniently situated, and take a few more bodies, just
enough at a time for the priest of the god of war--in short, that they
would take them in the same way as a man kills his pigs; and they were
to be sure to feed themselves well, for their chief was fond of fat
meat!

With this supply of food they retur