pened her fire of large guns, all with a direct
and deadly aim at the leaders of the savage band. The execution was very
great, and in a short time the enemy beat a precipitate retreat, taking
with them their wounded, and as many of their dead as they could. The
ground was strewed with implements of war, which the savages had thrown
away in their flight, or which had belonged to the slain. The enemy did
not expect such a reception, and they were prodigiously frightened; the
sound of the cannon alarmed every woman and child in the group, as it
echoed through the forest, or died upon the wave; they had never heard
such a roar before, for in our first fight there was no necessity for
such energy. The Indians took to the water, leaving only a few in their
canoes to get them off, while the garrison hoisted the American flag,
and were greeted by cheers from those on board the schooner, who were in
high spirits at their victory, which was achieved without the loss of
a man on our part, and only two wounded. The music struck up 'Yankee
Doodle,' 'Rule Britannia,' etc., and the crew could hardly restrain
their joy to think that they had beaten their enemy so easily.

"The boats were all manned, and most of the crew went on shore to
mark the devastation which had been made. I saw all this without any
sensation of fear, so easy is it for a woman to catch the spirit of
those near her. If I had a few months before this time read of such a
battle I should have trembled at the detail of the incidents; but seeing
all the animation and courage which were displayed, and noticing at the
same time how coolly all was done, every particle of fear left me, and
I stood quite as collected as any heroine of former days. Still I
could not but deplore the sacrifice of the poor, misguided, ignorant
creatures, who wore the human form, and had souls to save. Must the
ignorant always be taught civilisation through blood?--situated as we
were, no other course could be taken.

"On the morning of the 19th, to our great surprise, the chief who had
previously come out to bring us fruit, and had done so on the morning of
our great battle, came again in his canoe, and called for Shaw, on
the edge of the reef, with his usual air of kindness and friendship,
offering fruit, and intimating a desire for trade, as though nothing had
happened. The offer seemed fair, but all believed him to be treacherous.
The small boat was sent to meet him, but Shaw, who we feared