We continued to cure beche-le-mer until the 13th with but little success, when the natives attempted to burn our houses again and appeared disposed to attack the men on shore if an opportunity offered. The Chiefs also seemed disposed to countenance their tribes in their designs. We immediately manned and armed the boats and sent them on shore for the protection of our property and the men. In the morning, a slight attack was made by the natives on our people, but they were defeated without any loss on our side. As we killed a number of them and they perceived the superiority of our muskets over their weapons, they retreated into the woods. We got our things on board without any molestation from the natives and immediately put the ship in readiness for sea. Finding it impossible to procure a cargo in this place we burnt the houses and got underweigh and stood out of the bay intending to proceed to Mutt-Water,[39] a town and bay on the north end of the island, where we arrived on the 17th and anchored near the shore about a musket-shot distance from the principal chief’s town. We immediately had an interview with the Chief and agreed with him to furnish houses for the purpose of curing beche-le-mer, the Chiefs agreeing to furnish canoes and men to man them, the 2nd Chief of the place, who was much loved and respected by the natives, agreeing to stay on board the ship, as a hostage for our men and property on shore. By the 21st of February the house was completed and we commenced purchasing and curing beche-le-mer. We continued curing the fish and nothing particular occurred until the 22nd March, 1831, by which time we had procured about 500 piculs of beche-le-mer and 300 pounds of tortoise shell. An accident then befell us which not only ruined our voyage but by which we lost all our property and were cast on the mercy of savages whose fierceness and ferocity are not equalled on the South Seas.