discovered they had taken two iron pots from the place of cooking, not more than fifteen yards distant from my tent, but found them, in the course of the day, evidently dropped in the hurry of their retreat. There were marks of their spears in the sand. Captain Stirling sent me an additional force of eight seamen, with cutlasses, at sunset, to assist in the duty of the night."
"Sunday, July Ist.—About 150 hammocks, belonging to the Success, and on shore to be lettered, had been purloined during the night by the natives; also a rope jack; all within forty yards of the sentry, on the south-east of the camp. The first Lieutenant of the Success, and a party of twelve marines, at noon, went in an easterly direction, to discover the source of the small river which empties itself where the wreck of our whale-boat was discovered; and, in their research, fell in with about twenty-five of their hammocks, but saw no natives. At noon, I went with an armed party in a north-east direction, where I had heard of the strayed heifer, and found her, but so wild, that I could not get within 300 yards of her. I shall, however, when we can spare time, form some stratagem to get her in; she is in good pasturage, and close to the river, and, as yet, unmolested by the natives."
"Monday, July 2d.—Stowed the greater part of the dry goods in the excavated part of the logged house; the soil is a perfect dry sand; was surprised to find that, even for the short time they had been under the canvas, the white ants, in myriads, had assembled, and made great encroachments on the barrels. Marines, soldiers, and volunteers very active in erecting each their respective hut. The French dwarf beans, planted only three days, made their appearance. Orange and lemon slips put in the ground. At twelve, noon, the cooper, with some other men of the Success, were at the watering place, repairing the butts, when a party of natives, with spears, came on them; they retreated, and some of their tools were taken: one spear was thrown, without injury. The camp was instantly on the alarm, and pursued, but no traces could be seen of them. At eleven, this night, immediately after the moon had set, the natives were heard, and imperfectly seen, not more than thirty or forty yards from the sentry, on the south-east flank, who challenged them, when (he reports) they approached on him the faster; he fired at them, as did also two others of the guard, in the direction they retreated, who
