Steam cutter & Sailing cutter went away and
fetched back our 2 officers from Mr Harvest at Rasia Gran-
ville they came back late in the evening bring with them Mr Jones
a partner of Mr Harvest and Bertie Baton a Native who was ra -
ther intelligent and going to act as interpreter for
the remainder of the cruise, the sailing cutter was loaded
up with Bananas, Yams & Coca Nuts which was sent
as a present to the Ships Company by Mr Harvest, during
the afternoon, All marines & two boat crews of Blue Jackets went
away to hoist the flag in the village were Commodore Good-
enough was murdered, when we got close in shore we
found that there was a great deal of surf breaking upon
the beach, and no sooner had our boat grounded than
out into the water we had to jump up to our waist
in Water slung holding onto the Gunwale of the boat to steady
her so that she should not knock a hole in her bottom
we had our rifles across our shoulders with the
magazines charged with 10 rounds, a great crowd of
natives collected along the beach in front of the marines
Boat the other boat had backed out into deep water
for the purpose of covering our landing in case of a
strick out we try all we can to run the boat upon
the beach out of the way of the breakers, but owing to
us having to very careful to keep our ammunition dry
we could not manage it, we then made signs to the natives
to come and help us, but they kept shouting and waving
there arms about, this was beginning to get rather awkward
for us and we was wondering what would happen next
as they did not seem as if they they was resenting our landing
the other boats had there work cut out to watch for any
sins of treachery from the crowds that was collecting in
front of the Boat, they kept on shouting and swinging
the arms about in a wild manner, but we could not un-
derstand one Atom of it, we had all our work cut out to
keep the boat from bumping, after a time we found out
the cause of all the hubbub, the men did not believe in
manual labour, but had sent out into the village for the women
for they made an opening and along line of
women appeared they was entirely naked excepting for
a Native made Loin cloth made from the bark of young trees
but we very soon got all we wanted done, by the help of these
women although they seemed very much frightened &
timid, when the boat was well up on the beach an old
man came forward and made signs of submission
(no doubt he remember the Murder of Commodore
Goodenough) and then led the Captain by signs to a
large hut, he wanted the Captain to sit down on mats and
eat some Hot Bread Fruit, but somehow he had lost his
appetite so he declined with thanks we formed up out-
side in case of surprise with a course clear for the boats, we
had to keep a very sharp look out as every one of the Natives
carried there bows & arrows and would not move a step
without them, it was not a very pleasant job standing
there, because they could have let drive a flight of arrows
and nipped into the bush before you could have say Jack
Robinson, we carried our Rifles at the slop with the cut
off of the magazine firing at once, but we had strict orders
not to show that we had git any mistrust in the Natives
but to try and make them believe that we had got the
greatest confidence in them, after a lot of palavar inside
the hut our Captain hoisted the Union Jack and we made
our way back to the boats on the way we passed a woman
carrying a black wooden kiki bowl on her head filled up
with mashed Yams she stepped on one side and covered
her face with her hands, the two children that was with
her scampered off into the Bush crying like the very dead
which was so funny that made the whole lot of us burst
out laughing which seemed to break the death like
(Miss the next page )
that had come over us from the time of landing, I dont believe
a dozen words was spoken from the time we landed and
those was only giving as words of command from the Officer
in Charge, all precautions and other orders were given us before
we left the ship, when we arrived at the boat we found that
a lot of natives had collected there, they seemed as if they
wanted tus to keep on marching as it was affording them
a great deal of amusement especially when we order arms
and then slung them, the sun getting down in the heavens
our Captain wanted to get clear of the beach before dusk
so after much excitement and noise we managed to
launch the boat and get clear of the beach in good time.
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