“It scares the sea-birds from their nests;
      They dart and wheel with deafening screams;
    Now dark—­and now their wings and breasts
      Flash back amid disastrous gleams. 
    O, sin! what hast thou done on this fair earth? 
    The world, O man! is wailing o’er thy birth.”

    Dana.

It was the policy of the colonists to lead their pursuers directly up to the Western Roads.  On the small island, under which vessels were accustomed to anchor, was a dwelling or two, and a battery of two guns—­nine-pounders.  These guns were to command the anchorage.  The island lay directly in front of the mouth of the passage, making a very beautiful harbour within it; though the water was so smooth in the roads, and the last were so much the most convenient for getting under-way in, that this more sheltered haven was very little used.  On the present occasion, however, all the colony craft beat up past the island, and anchored inside of it.  The crews were then landed, and they repaired to the battery, which they found ready for service in consequence of orders previously sent.

Here, then, was the point where hostilities would be likely to commence, should hostilities commence at all.  One of the boats was sent across to the nearest island inland, where a messenger was landed, with directions to carry a letter to Pennock, at the Reef.  This messenger was compelled to walk about six miles, the whole distance in a grove of young palms and bread-fruit trees; great pains having been taken to cultivate both of these plants throughout the group, in spots favourable to their growth.  After getting through the grove, the path came out on a plantation, where a horse was kept for this especial object; and here the man mounted and galloped off to the Reef, soon finding himself amid a line of some of the most flourishing plantations in the colony.  Fortunately, however, as things then threatened, these plantations were not on the main channel, but stood along the margin of a passage which was deep enough to receive any craft that floated, but which was a cul-de-sac, that could be entered only from the eastward.  Along the margin of the ship-channel, there was not yet soil of the right quality for cultivation, though it was slowly forming, as the sands that lay thick on the adjacent rocks received other substances by exposure to the atmosphere.

The Anne and her consorts had been anchored about an hour, when the strangers hove-to in the roads, distant about half a mile from the battery.  Here they all hoisted white flags, as if desirous of having a parley.  The governor did not well know how to act.  He could not tell whether or not it would do to trust such men; and he as little liked to place Betts, or any other confidential friend, in their power, as he did to place himself there.  Nevertheless, prudence required that some notice should be taken of the flag of truce; and he determined to go off a short distance from the shore in one of his own boats, and hoist a white flag, which would be as much as to say that he was waiting there to receive any communication that the strangers might chose to send him.