“In the grey of the morning the look-outs reported the approach of three canoes with about ten men in each.  On two or three persons shewing themselves in the bow of the pinnace, in front of the rain awning, the natives ceased paddling, as if baulked in their design of surprising the large boat; but, after a short consultation, they came alongside in their usual noisy manner.  After a stay of about five minutes only they pushed off to the galley, and some more sham bartering was attempted, but they had nothing to give in exchange for the wares they so much coveted.  In a short time the rudeness and overbearing insolence of the natives had risen to a pitch which left no doubt of their hostile intentions.  The anchor was got up, when some of the blacks seized the painter, and others, in trying to capsize the boat, brought the gunwale down to the water’s edge, at the same time grappling with the men to pull them out, and dragging the galley inshore towards the shoal-water.  The bowman, with the anchor in his hand, was struck on the head with a stone-headed axe.  The blow was repeated, but fortunately took effect only on the wash-streak.  Another of the crew was struck at with a similar weapon, but warded off the blow, although held fast by one arm, when, just as the savage was making another stroke, Lieutenant Dayman, who up till now had exercised the utmost forbearance, fired at him with a musket.  The man did not drop, although wounded in the thigh.  But even this, unquestionably their first experience of firearms, did not intimidate the natives, one of whom, standing on a block of coral, threw a spear which passed across the breast of one of the boat’s crew and lodged in the bend of one arm, opening a vein.  They raised a loud shout when the spear was seen to take effect, and threw several others which missed.  Lieutenant Simpson, who had been watching what was going on, then fired from the pinnace with buckshot and struck them, when, finding that the large boat, though at anchor, could assist the smaller one, the canoes were paddled inshore in great haste and confusion.  Some more musket shots were fired, and the galley went in chase endeavouring to turn the canoes, so as to bring them under fire of the pinnace’s twelve-pounder howitzer, which was speedily mounted and fired.  The shot either struck one of the canoes or went within a few inches of the mark, on which the natives instantly jumped overboard into the shallow water, making for the mangroves, which they succeeded in reaching, dragging their canoes with them.  Two rounds of grape-shot crashing through the branches dispersed the party, but afterwards they moved two of the canoes out of sight.  The remaining one was brought out after breakfast by the galley under cover of the pinnace, and was towed off to some distance.  The paddles having been taken out and the spears broken and left in her, she was let go to drift down toward a village whence the attacking party were supposed to have come.