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 the materials from the wreck.  When it was ready to put to sea, as many as could conveniently, embarked in her, being plentifully supplied with fresh provisions by the islanders.  The commander promised those who were left behind, to return immediately with presents for the natives, and to bring them off; but, as the little vessel was never afterwards heard of, the men sought the protection of the neighbouring chiefs, with whom they lived.  Several muskets and some gunpowder had been left them by their comrades, and by means of these, they proved of great service to their friends, in encounters with the neighbouring islanders.”