140 A N A C C O U N T OF
17*# .*
SEPTEMBER
<c dies, yet law no fpear flicking in them, nor could they
** deVife by what means they had thus in a moment become'
« deprived of motion and life. •
» There is not generally above one able fpearman ia each’
*f canoe, the reft of thofc who ate put into it, being only to'
u paddle, and guide its motions; no fooner therefore did the
** firing of the mufquets fpread difrnay am^igft the people1
«cffiARfIN&als,, than a different effect Was produced in'
w thofc of Pf.lew : the moment the report was made, they
“ all rofe up in their canoes, and fet up fuch hallooing and?
** ffioating, that the Whole air was fified with their noifc£
“ which greatly added tb the terror of the enemy, who
“■ finding thetnfelvfes unequal to fb powerful an attack, be-
“ took themfchres to-, fl^ht.— The fquadroh before then-
« tionedbefeg^in their rear, in- feme meafure impeded their
“ retreat, but not being fct any degree equal to the force of
“ the enemy, the greater part of the people' of A&riNfeAif it
** were ablet©;regain their own. Ih-ore. Six. canoes only were-
“ taken, and nine: prifoners,; which they accounted a large-
“ number, it being- feldom. that they captured their enemies j,
u as the vanquifiied always endeavour to carry away their
“ killed and wounded, that the victors- may not have their
u bodies to expofe.
“ Our fleet now rode triumphant along thecoaft of A b
“ Ting all, founding the conch in defiance of their adver-
§ u fary*
T H E PE L E W IS L A N D Sr 14«
<« fary,: and firing amQfigft fthem When any appeared ifcar 1783.
V< . . . . SEPTEMBER*
« enough to he reached by fhfe. mufquets.. The engagement
« from beginnifig to end' did not exceed three hours j after
« parading along their.'fhore, and; in vain provoking * '
“ freih combat,'A b b a T hulLe ordered the:, canoes to make
« a difpofition to retUrn, Which Wa§ foon don%,;aad we fee
forward -towardsFeleW. r
« All the nine prifoners had received wounds, in battle %
*« and, in fpite o f whatever we could urge again!! the cruelty
« of putting them *to death, yet they would hear n^thiqg.m
u their behalf,. and foon exterminated them-Trln. .jg0 §iCa*
« tionl o f a pmceeding whfdh fb ftyodgly contradicted the
« general humanity o f the natives o f Pelew, they ailedged
« the neceffiiy of doing it for theirowm fccurity,*affnring
« us that' they had formerly only detained them prifoners*
« and kept tbera as- menial, fervants, but that they ahffayjs*
« found means to- get back to their own country, and havi-
« ing-sby living among!! the Pelew people, become well
« acquainted wkh the channels and creeks of the ill and*
«.they had afterwards made ufe of that knowledge to land
« frequently by ffealth, andcommitgreat depredations; and
.« that, on thjfS confidefatioa, that ftep which we io much
** condemned had become neeeffary to them*
« Among the prifoners was- a Rupatky who’ had a-bone-
« on his wrift ; the Pelew people* after he was- captmed,,
« ftrove all in their power to take from him this markof.digr
« nity*