fortunately took effect only on the wash-streak; another of the crew was struck at with a similar weapon, but warded off the blow, although held fast by one arm, when, just as the savage was making another stroke, Lieutenant Dayman, who until now had excercised the utmost forbearance, fired at him with a musket.  The man did not drop although wounded in the thigh; but even this, unquestionably their first experience of firearms, did not intimidate the natives, one of whom, standing on a block of coral, threw a spear which passed across the breast of one of the boat’s crew and lodged in the bend of one arm, opening the vein.  They raised a loud shout when the spear was seen to take effect, and threw several others which missed.  Lieutenant Simpson, who had been watching what was going on then fired from the pinnace with buckshot and struck them, when, finding that the large boat, although at anchor, could assist the smaller one, the canoes were paddled inshore in great haste and confusion.  Some more musket shots were fired, and the galley went in chase endeavouring to turn the canoes, so as to bring them under the fire of the pinnace’s 12-pounder howitzer, which was speedily mounted and fired.  The shot either struck one of the canoes or went within a few inches of the mark, on which the natives instantly jumped overboard into the shallow water, making for the mangroves, which they succeeded in reaching, dragging their canoes with them.  Two rounds of grape-shot crashing through the branches dispersed the party, but afterwards they moved two of the canoes out of sight.  The remaining one was brought out after breakfast by the galley under cover of the pinnace, and was towed off to some distance.  The paddles having been taken out and the spears broken and left in her, she was let go to drift down towards a village whence the attacking party were supposed to have come.  Some blood in this canoe, although not the one most aimed at, showed that the firing had not been ineffective.

This act of deliberate treachery was perpetrated by persons who had always been well-treated by us, for several of the natives present were recognised as having been alongside the ship in Coral Haven.  This, their first act of positive hostility, affords, I think, conclusive evidence of the savage disposition of the natives of this part of the Louisiade when excited by the hope of plunder, and shows that no confidence should ever be reposed in them unless, perhaps, in the presence of a numerically superior force, or the close vicinity of the ship.  At the same time the boldness of these savages in attacking, with thirty men in three canoes, two boats known to contain at least twenty persons—­even in hopes of taking them by surprise—­and in not being at once driven off upon feeling the novel and deadly effects of musketry, indicates no little amount of bravery.  In the course of the same day, when Lieutenant Dayman was close inshore with the galley laying down the