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Article BARBAROUS ATTACK OF THE NATIVES. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Barbarous Attack Of The Natives.
pushing them on with our oars . This bay had appeared to the Captain in a more favourable point of view , because , at the time he examined it , the tide was not so low . Upon our arrival , the savages , who lined the coast , to the number of seven or eight hundred , threw into the sea , .. s a token of peace , several branches of the tree from which the islanders of the South
Sea draw their intoxicating beverage . When we landed , M . de Langle gave orders that each boat should be guarded by a soldier under arms , and by a sailor , and that the crews of the long-boats ; while-filling tho casks , should be under the protection of ' a double line of soldiers extending from the watering place to the boats . As fast as the casks Were filledthey were put quietlon boardthe natives
, y , suffering themselves to be kept in tolerable order by the armed soldiers . Among them was a considerable number of women , and very young girls , who offered their favours to us in the most indecent manner , and whose advances were not universall y rejected .- The children we saw there were few .
Towards the end of our labour , the number of natives increased , and-became more and more troublesome . This circumstance induced M . de Langle to abandon his ori ginal intention of trafficking for a few provisions ; and he gave orders to re-embark without delay : but iu the mean time , and this , I think , was the first cause of our misfortune , he made a present of a few beads to a sort of chiefs , who had hel to off the inhabitants
ped keep . We were , however , certain , that this police was a mere mockery , and that , if these pretended chiefs had really any authoi % , it extended to a very small number of individuals . The captain ' s presents , distributed to five or -six persons , excited the discontent of all the rest . From that moment a general clamour arose , and we were no longer able to keep them quiet . They suffered us , however , to get into our boats ; but a part of them stepped into the water in pursuit of us , while the others picked up stones upon the beach .
As the long-boats were aground at a little distance from the strand , we were obliged in ovr way to them to pass through the water up to our waists ; and in so doing several . of the soldiers wet their arms . It was in this critical situation that the horrible scene began which I am about to narrate . Scarcely were we in the long-boats , when M . de Langle gave orders to shove them off and to wei gh the grapnel ; hut this l ofthe most robust
severa islanders opposed by laying hold of the rope . The captain , witness of their resistance , seeing the tumult increase , and perceiving the stones reach him , tried io intimidate the savages by firing a musket in the air ; but , so far from being frightened , they made it the signal of a general attack . Immediately-a shower of stoneshurled with equal force and celeritv
, , came pourituupon us ; the fight began on both sides , and soon became general ! -those whose muskets were in a serviceable state brought several of the infuriated Indians to the ground ; but the others " were by no means dismayed , and seemed to combat with redoubled vigour . A Part of them came close up to the long-boats , while the rest , to the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Barbarous Attack Of The Natives.
pushing them on with our oars . This bay had appeared to the Captain in a more favourable point of view , because , at the time he examined it , the tide was not so low . Upon our arrival , the savages , who lined the coast , to the number of seven or eight hundred , threw into the sea , .. s a token of peace , several branches of the tree from which the islanders of the South
Sea draw their intoxicating beverage . When we landed , M . de Langle gave orders that each boat should be guarded by a soldier under arms , and by a sailor , and that the crews of the long-boats ; while-filling tho casks , should be under the protection of ' a double line of soldiers extending from the watering place to the boats . As fast as the casks Were filledthey were put quietlon boardthe natives
, y , suffering themselves to be kept in tolerable order by the armed soldiers . Among them was a considerable number of women , and very young girls , who offered their favours to us in the most indecent manner , and whose advances were not universall y rejected .- The children we saw there were few .
Towards the end of our labour , the number of natives increased , and-became more and more troublesome . This circumstance induced M . de Langle to abandon his ori ginal intention of trafficking for a few provisions ; and he gave orders to re-embark without delay : but iu the mean time , and this , I think , was the first cause of our misfortune , he made a present of a few beads to a sort of chiefs , who had hel to off the inhabitants
ped keep . We were , however , certain , that this police was a mere mockery , and that , if these pretended chiefs had really any authoi % , it extended to a very small number of individuals . The captain ' s presents , distributed to five or -six persons , excited the discontent of all the rest . From that moment a general clamour arose , and we were no longer able to keep them quiet . They suffered us , however , to get into our boats ; but a part of them stepped into the water in pursuit of us , while the others picked up stones upon the beach .
As the long-boats were aground at a little distance from the strand , we were obliged in ovr way to them to pass through the water up to our waists ; and in so doing several . of the soldiers wet their arms . It was in this critical situation that the horrible scene began which I am about to narrate . Scarcely were we in the long-boats , when M . de Langle gave orders to shove them off and to wei gh the grapnel ; hut this l ofthe most robust
severa islanders opposed by laying hold of the rope . The captain , witness of their resistance , seeing the tumult increase , and perceiving the stones reach him , tried io intimidate the savages by firing a musket in the air ; but , so far from being frightened , they made it the signal of a general attack . Immediately-a shower of stoneshurled with equal force and celeritv
, , came pourituupon us ; the fight began on both sides , and soon became general ! -those whose muskets were in a serviceable state brought several of the infuriated Indians to the ground ; but the others " were by no means dismayed , and seemed to combat with redoubled vigour . A Part of them came close up to the long-boats , while the rest , to the