was now an
object of vengeance, was not sent in her. She was armed for fear of
the worst, and the coxswain had orders to kill the chief if he should
discover any treachery in him. As our boat came alongside the canoe,
the crew saw a bearded arrow attached to a bow, ready for the purpose
of revenge. Just as the savage was about to bend his bow, the coxswain
levelled his piece, and shot the traitor through the body; his wound was
mortal, but he did not expire immediately. At this instant a fleet of
canoes made their appearance to protect their chief. The small boat lost
one of her oars in the fight, and we were obliged to man two large boats
and send them to the place of contest The large boats were armed with
swivels and muskets, and a furious engagement ensued. The natives were
driven from the water, but succeeded in taking off their wounded chief,
who expired as he reached the shore.

"After the death of Hennean, the name of the chief we had slain, the
inhabitants of Massacre Island fled to some other place, and left all
things as they were before our attack upon them, and our men roamed over
it at will. The skulls of several of our slaughtered men were found at
Hennean's door, trophies of his bloody prowess. These were now buried
with the honours of war; the colours of the _Antarctic_ were lowered
half-mast, minute guns were fired, and dirges were played by our band,
in honour of those who had fallen untimely on Massacre Island. This was
all that feeling or affection could bestow. Those so inhumanly murdered
had at last the rites of burial performed for them; millions have
perished without such honours...it is the last sad office that can be
paid.

"We now commenced collecting and curing _beche-de-mer_ and should have
succeeded to our wishes, if we had not been continually harassed by the
natives as soon as we began our efforts. We continued to work in this
way until the 28th of October, when we found that the natives were still
hostile, and on that day one of our men was attacked on Massacre Island,
but escaped death through great presence of mind, and shot the man, who
was the brother of the chief Hennean. Our man's name was Thomas Holmes,
a cool, deliberate Englishman. Such an instance of self-possession,
in such great danger as that in which he was placed, would have given
immortality to a greater man. We felt ourselves much harassed and vexed
by the persevering savages, and finding it impossible to make them
un