Captain Dillon personally visited the reefs on which the French ships are
ascertained to have struck and gone to pieces, according to the accounts
of the natives, from which the following particulars have been obtained of
that disastrous event:--"Many years ago two large ships arrived at the
islands; one anchored off the island of Whanoo, and the other off that of
Paiow, a little distance from each other. Soon after, and before they had
any communication with the natives, a heavy gale arose, and both vessels
were driven ashore. The ship off Whanoo grounded upon the rocks. The
natives came in crowds to the sea-shore, armed with clubs, spears, bows
and arrows, and discharged some arrows into the vessel; the crew in return
fired, and killed several of the islanders. The vessel continued to strike
violently against the rocks, and soon went to pieces. Some of the crew
took to their boats, but were driven on shore, and murdered by the natives;
others threw themselves into the sea, and such as reached the land, shared
the fate of their unfortunate companions, so that not a single soul
belonging to this vessel escaped alive."

"The ship which grounded on Paiow, was driven on a sandy beach, and the
natives came down and also discharged their arrows into her; but the crew
prudently did not resent the aggression, but held up axes, beads, and toys,
as peace-offerings, upon which the assailants desisted from farther
hostilities. As soon as the wind had moderated, an aged chief, in a canoe,
put off to the ship. He was received with caresses, accepted the presents
offered to him: and upon going ashore, pacified the islanders by
assurances that the ship's crew were peaceably inclined towards them. Upon
this, several natives went on board, and were all presented with toys. In
return, they supplied the crew with yams, fowls, bananas, cocoa-nuts, hogs,
&c. and confidence was established between them. The ship was now
abandoned, and the crew went on shore, bringing with them part of her
stores. Here they remained for some time, and built a small vessel with