us they would have a flag on the top of the hill) but none was
to be seen, not a native, and I have reason to believe every one of the
eight have been sacrificed; it looks suspicious not seeing a native, for
Jackey says they used to bring fish to the camp, and there were plenty of
them. The Captain is to take the ship in as near as possible to the hill,
and it is determined to go on shore with the same party who assisted us
at Shelburne Bay, and go up to the camp to-morrow well armed. All this
evening a solemn, silent, inexpressible gloom; no rockets, no gun, no
fire, to-morrow will tell a tale.

Saturday, 30th December, 1848.

At daylight this morning the ship was got underweigh, and sailed nearer
in towards the hill which Jackey had pointed out as being the hill where
"camp sit down," and anchored in about two fathoms of water about half a
mile off the land. Five canoes were now seen creeping off towards us from
under the mangroves, with from five to ten natives in each (there was yet
no flag or any token of white people on the hill); the canoes gradually
neared in a string, and one came cautiously alongside, making signs and
saying "ferraman, ferraman," "white man, white man," and pointing towards
Jackey's mountain. We were at first doubtful whether they were disposed
to be friendly or not, and afterwards seeing some children with them and
one or two females, we concluded they were disposed to be friendly, and
that they knew the parties at the camp. A few lines were written to the
party at the camp, stating a vessel was in the bay, and the bearer, one
of the natives, would take them to it. This was given to one of the
natives in the first canoe, and Jackey, whom the natives recognised,
beckoned and motioned to them to take the note to the camp. In the
meantime the Captain and I had determined as soon as the boat could be
got ready, to proceed according to Jackey's instructions to the camp. The
boat left with our party, and Jackey directed us some distance off in the
wake of the canoes, there being nothing but a mangrove swamp on the shore
near us. We landed beside of a creek knee-deep in water, among some
mangroves. Here we got out of the boat, Jackey, the Captain, Barrett, and
myself, Tom, the sailor, who had accompanied us before, saying he could
not go, that he had a bad leg. We were a little disappointed here, but
said nothing, and proceeded, Jackey leading, myself, the Captain, and
Barrett following, through a m