They succeeded in getting the hatchet, but when about to return, the natives in a great body, attacked them with stones. Finding that they retreated, the natives pursued them, and having overtaken Rowland Jones, killed him upon the spot. The remainder, although bruised with the stones which these Islanders had thrown with great precision, arrived at the tent with the alarming intelligence of a difficulty;--while they followed in the rear armed for war! No time was lost in arming ourselves, while the natives collected from all quarters, and at a short distance from the tent, seemed to hold a kind of council. After deliberating some time, they began to tear to pieces one of the boats. These were of vital importance to our guilty commander, and he ventured to go to them for the purpose of pacifying them. One of the Chiefs sat down upon the ground with him, and after they had set a few moments, Payne accompanied the Chief into the midst of the natives. After a conference with them which lasted nearly an hour, he returned to the tent, saying that he had pacified the natives upon the following conditions. They were to have every article belonging to us, even to the tent; and Payne had assured them of his willingness, and that of the others to live with, and be governed by them, and to adopt their mode of living! We have reason to doubt the sincerity of Payne in this respect, for what was to us a hope which we cherished with peculiar pleasure, must have been to him, a source of fearful anticipation--we mean the probable safe arrival of the ship, in the U. S. which should result in our deliverance. Our situation at this time was truly alarming; and may we not with propriety say, distressing? Surrounded by a horde of savages, brandishing their war clubs and javelins, our more than savage commanders, (Payne and Oliver) in anxious suspense as to the result of their negociations with them; no refuge from _either foe_, and what contributed not a little to our unhappiness, was a consciousness of being innocent of having in the least manner wilfully aided the destroyers of the lives of our officers, and the authors of our now, truly unhappy situation.