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CHAPTER V.


Raffles Bay—Natives—Miago—The Chief Wellington—Waterloo—Da' Atea—Luga—Monanoo—Wooloogary Chief of Croker's Island—The Commandant visits the Natives—Malay Proas touch at the Settlement—Wreck of the Mermaid—Wreck of the Swiftsure—Death of Mr. Radford—Arrival of H.M.S. Satellite.

The settlement was under the command of Captain Barker, of the 39th Regiment; Mr. Radford was in charge of the Commissariat department, assisted by Mr. Hickey; Dr. Davis, Assistant-Surgeon of the 39th Regiment, had the medical charge; a party of Royal Marines, a detachment of the 39th, and several of the 67th Regiment, constituted the defensive strength of the settlement. Several prisoners (here named volunteers) performed the necessary labour; there were also a Malay, named Da' Atea, and a little native girl. I was rather astonished to find,—after the dismal accounts I had heard,—all the Europeans, men, women, and children, in good health.

On the first day of my arrival, several of the natives were in the camp, who appeared to be on friendly terms with the settlers. On July 2d, Joseph Collins, and on