seen) behind a large fallen tree with their spears all in readiness for
throwing. The boy immediately cried out to Mr. Bowen who was at that very
time in the act of serving out bread to all the party he was sitting
among that he would be speared, but before the words were out of his
mouth, a spear of a most dangerous kind, was thrown at and did not escape
Moss by a yard and in an instant the whole of the treacherous body that
Mr. Bowen and 4 of our people were sitting in the midst of opened out to
the right and left and at once left them all open to the party in ambush
who immediately were on their feet and began to throw spears; still such
was the forbearance of the officer that only one piece was fired over
their heads but this was found only to create a small panic, and our
party were obliged to teach them by fatal experience the effect of our
walking sticks.

"The first fire made them run and one received two balls between his
shoulders, still some of them made a stop to heave; the second fire they
all set off with astonishing speed and most likely one received a mortal
wound. Before another piece was fired Mr. Bowen laid hold of one of their
number and held on till three of our people came up and also grappled
him, strange to tell he made such violent struggles as to get away from
them all nor did the contents of the officer's piece bring him up
although one ball passed through his arm and the other in the side--he
was traced a good distance by his blood--the remaining pieces were by
this time fired and our party gave chase to them all.

"On board I kept a strict look-out with the glass and we lay only a
little more than a quarter of a mile off the point where they were seated
on. I plainly saw the natives running through the wood which was by no
means thick--one fellow in particular had been dressed in one of my white
shirts and the officer had tyed the wrists of it with string, which