them, "I do not see more than I tell you of, and I think their arms are sugar canes which they are holding up and waving to us in token of friendship." This proved to be the case, for a chief approached (a most noble looking man,) and presented me, first with the taper or turban off his head, a sure sign of friendship, and then, with a piece of sugar cane. Finding that he could speak the Isle of Pine dialect, I made him acquainted with our situation; he told me if I would launch the whale-boat and go to the main-land he would fill our water-breakers and send me some yams, and if any one dared to molest us, desired me to shoot them, as the island and all on it belonged to him; he at the same time severely rebuked those who had insulted us. In a short time our boat returned and with the promised supply, and it was with a great deal of persuasion I could induce him to accept of a small axe in return for his kindness. At about 5 P.M. saw a ship anchor inside the reefs, distant from us about seven miles.

Monday, 3rd January.-Observed the ship which proved to be the Avon, of Sydney, Capt. Cooper, move into the bay, and anchor within four miles of the very spot, where the boats' crews of the Vanguard were cut off, and distant from us about eight miles to the north-west. I immediately ordered my boat to go on board the Avon, to inform them of the dangerous ground they were on, thinking that in all probability they were quite ignorant of the hostile tribes they would come in contact with at that place, and probably the boats' crews might be led into the same snare as the Vanguard's, but before I reached the ship, the boats were off. On my arrival on board I enquired of Capt. Cooper if the natives had been on board, or had made their appearance; he informed me that they had, and that the Chief Angulla was with them, and wishing him, Capt. Cooper, to go on shore, for he had got plenty of wood. Captain Cooper asked the natives if they knew anything of the Vanguard or her crew, (understanding previously that she had been wrecked, and like myself quite ignorant of what had taken place,) they all to a man denied having seen any two masted vessel in that place, and then left the ship, which was about an hour before I got on board. So soon as Capt. Cooper had related the above, I informed him that these very fellows had massacred the boats' crews belonging to the Vanguard, and that they had now in their possession the two boats. Capt. C. seemed astonished; I told him it was unfortunately too true, and that I had taken the earliest opportunity of putting him on his guard, and assured him at the same time that these savages had no wood worthy of his attention, and not to think for a moment that I had come to drive him off the ground, for unfortunately there was too much of that ill-feeling existing amongst the sandalwood traders, which the wily natives took advantage of. During my stay on board, the boats returned, but with a very small quantity of wood, and that very inferior; I made the following remark to Capi. Cooper and his officers: "Do you see that the wood you have brought is all roots; if those fellows had any quantity, they would never take the trouble to get the roots up," for the labour is immense; but the first and second officers made answer, "They have plenty on shore, and have told us to come to-morrow, and bring plenty of men and trade and carry the wood out." I replied "My good fellows, do not be deceived by them, they are only laying a trap for you, and be very careful what you are about, I assure you again that they have no wood here worthy your attention, for the brig Spy remained here sixteen days, and only procured about one ton, and that very inferior."

I addressed myself to the chief officer in particular saying: "Mr. Rodd, you ought to know that the natives will never take the trouble to get the roots up if they had any standing trees; " but they would hardly credit my assertions, and had actually made up their minds, prior to my coming on board, to take a large party of the crew on shore to cut and carry wood out of the bush, as had been done on a previous voyage by Capt. Silver; however, I had the pleasure of dissuading them from that purpose. I then proposed that we should prepare our boats, and, in conjunction with them, go and punish these merciless savages, remaking at the same time: "If we do so, of course, all trading will be at an end, but really it is our duty to punish them, and all the wood we get will never pay us to remain here, for I am doing nothing where my ship lies

and am only completing the water." Seeing that the captain and officers were undetermined, as to what course to pursue, I bid them good bye, begging of them to be well on their guard should they go on shore in the morning an be well armed, for I was certain the natives would attack them. On making the best of my way to my ship, I observed several canoes sailing into the bay where the Avon's boats had been trading, in fact, the very spot where the massacre of the Vanguard's boats' crews took place. I had with me the cutter Georgiana; she had returned to me having missed the Spy; the officer in charge of the cutter knew Angulla well I hailed him, and ordered him to keep the cutter away, and endeavour to cut off the canoes. That I might get a good view of the villain, to distinguish him from the other natives: we chased them some time but the wily rogues' finding we were coming up with them, pushed on shore. I left the pursuit and ran as far as the shoal water would allow into the bottom of the bay; I then waived a white cloth to them to induce them to come alongside, but all to no purpose; I think I counted about forty natives distributed about the bay and sitting on the beach. I remarked to my officer, "We could pay these rascals well now for their cruelty, but should we fire upon them, of course, Captain Cooper and his crew will say, we have spoiled their voyage." Sorry was I afterwards that I allowed my feeling to get the better of me, for the crew of the Avon to a man, captain excepted, thought we were only endeavouring to get them from the coast, and the chief officer when he saw me run into the bay with the cutter, went to the mast-head of his ship to see if I was trading with the natives, notwithstanding I had come the distance of eight miles to put them on their guard.

Tuesday, 4th January.-At 1h. 30m. P.M. saw one of the Avon's boats pulling towards our ship; I remarked immediately to my chief officer, you may depend the natives have been either attacking the boats' crews, or made an attempt on the ship-my fears were soon realized, for on looking into the boat as she came alongside, I observed the boat was very much stained with blood; Captain Cooper came on board and informed me the natives had that morning attacked his boats' crews, and that his chief officer had lost his left hand, and his second officer was dreadfully wounded on the back part of his right shoulder and downwards; a man of colour severely wounded in the abdomen, so much that his entrails were protruding, besides, a severe wound on the right arm; and three others of the crew were sadly bruised with clubs. I immediately sent my chief officer, Mr. Westbrook, with Captain Cooper, to render all the surgical assistance he could, having had some experience with his father. I then lost no time in moving my ship to where the Avon lay, in order to give them all the protection we could muster, as Captain Cooper was under the impression that the natives intended to attack his ship-in anchoring I took up a good position with my ship, so that both ships' guns should bear upon the canoes, should they venture out; I then went on board the Avon to see if I could render any assistance to the wounded, and to enquire as to the cause of the sad affair.

It appears they were the same natives that I had seen on the previous evening that committed the assault, and I do not doubt but that they were at that time planning their attack-from what I could gather the following appear to be the facts of the case: On the morning of this day (the 4th) Mr. Rodd, the chief officer of the Avon, and Mr. Moorcroft, the second officer, landed for the purpose of trading, the natives had collected some superior wood to beguile the boats' crews, who would find great diffiulty in escaping from their attack. Messrs. Rodd and Moorcroft with three men went on shore and purchased the wood, and the very instant they stooped down to lift the wood, (turning themselves half round towards the boats,) Angulla, they think it was, made a blow at Mr Rodd with his tomahawk and wounded him on the back, cutting one of the lower left rib bones through, close to the spine; the poor fellow in retreating put his left hand across his head to protect it, when this merciless savage aimed another blow at his head severing the left hand close to the wrist, and with the same blow made a dreadful wound on the right side of his face destroying the optic nerve of the right eye. The man of colour before mentioued received his wounds whilst gallantly protecting his officers, and fortunately for them

another man of colour, of Portuguese extraction, jumped on shore with his cutlas, and in a most brave and determined manner drove all before him wounding several of them, cut one fellow down the left shoulder to the collar bone. At last he drove his cutlas through the body of another who endeavoured to oppose him, which he could not recover again as the fellow ran away with his cutlas in his body until he fell.

One European had the presence of mind to fire a blunderbuss at a fellow who was bidding defiance to them, he received the contents of it and fell to rise no more. I believe Mr. Moorcroft fired a pistol at the fellow who wounded him, and it was thought that it took effect in his breast. Too much praise cannot be bestowed on the two men of colour, for had they lost their presence of mind and not fought as bravely as they did, every one of the boats' crew would have shared the same fate as the boats' crews of the Vanguard, and on the very same spot. Through the determined courage of these men, the Avon and her crew were saved from being cut off, for no sooner had the boats left the ship in the morning, and judging the time the crews of the boats would be destroyed (consisting of twelve men) then a large canoe containing eighteen natives, went alongside with a small quantity of wood, and asked the men that were on deck to go down into the canoe and hand it up, but Captain Cooper would not allow them, and ordered them to put all the edge tools below except those they were using. Whilst Captain C. was engaged purchasing the wood, a great smoke was observed to be rising on shore; this I presume was a signal for the canoe to leave the ship as the villains on shore had failed in their attempt to destroy the boats' crews, for the villains hurried off with their canoe, and as the Avon's boats were returning. passed them at a respectful distance, jumped on shore, and hauled the canoe up out of sight.

This ship and her crew have had a narrow escape; and had I not put them on their guard, there is no doubt but every soul would have been cut off by these savages. I therefore rejoice that I did put them on the alert. As far as I can ascertain, no provocation was given the natives to commence hostilities, for Messrs. Rodd and Moorcroft were always very kind and liberal to them when dealing. Had those officers obeyed the instructions of their commander they would never have been attacked, and consequently would have escaped the dreadful wounds before alluded to; but, doubtless the poor fellows seeing a quantity of wood and anxious to do the best they could for their employers and themselves, ran a greater risk than they would have done on a more ordinary occasion; indeed, no officer can succeed in the sandalwood trade unless he continually exposes himself to the natives, and hardly then.

It was really a heart-rending scene to witness that poor young man, Mr. Rodd, deprived of the means of earning a subsistence owing to the loss of his hand, the sight of his right eye, and worst of all the wound in his back, which alone will ever render him incapable of any exertion. But should it please Providence to spare him to reach Sydney, when amputation of the arm will be necessary, as a part of the bone is now exposed to view, I hope and trust the liberal community of the city of Sydney will contribute something to alleviate the misfortune of this young man.

Thursday, 6th January.-Put a 9lb. carronade into the cutter and manned her with eight men; myself and Captain Cooper accompanied her with a 6 and a 5 oared whale-boat and fourteen men, and proceeded to the spot where the crew of the Avon had been wounded the day previous, in hopes of being able to punish these savages. We took up a good position with the cutter, so that the gun mounted on board of her might pour in a destructive fire of grape shot should these scoundrels be inclined to show out. After making our arrangements we landed and found the wood that had been partly purchased the day previous, some on the beach and some in the scrub, which we seized, and then commenced a search for the rogues, but could not come up with them. Finding we were foiled in our designs, we destroyed all the huts we could find, and the plantations around them, and set fire to the country for miles. On our return to the ships, we accidentally found the large canoe with which they attempted to take the Avon secreted among the bushes; we destroyed it instantly, well knowing that such would be as great a loss to them as anything we could get hold of.

DEPARTURE OF CAPTAIN PENNY'S EXPEDITION.-Captain Penny's expedition, consisting of the "Lady Franklin," commanded by himself, and the " Sophia," Captain Stewart, of Peterhead, left Aberdeen on Saturday at two o'clock on their perilous enterprise. These vessels, fitted out at the expense of the Admiralty, are provisioned for three years. They are provided with a printing press, and every appliance to relieve the tedium of a long sojourn in the icy regions. The crew of the Lady Franklin number 25, and that of the Sophia 20 men, all picked seamen, inured to the dangers of the Polar seas, and mostly belonging to Aberdeen. Immense crowds of persons of all ranks lined the quays and pier to witness the moving sight of so many gallant fellows, inspired by the highest hopes of success, leaving all that are near and dear to them for the regions of perpetual snows. Lady Franklin and her devoted companion, Miss Craycroft, were present at the departure.-United Service Gazette,

ADMIRALTY DECISION.-COLLISION BETWEEN THE FORTUNE AND ELIZA.

Mr. Baron Rolfe, in summing up, said there was no dispute that the Fortune ran the Eliza down; that was an admitted fact by both parties; it then remained a question, by whose fault the accident was occasioned, or whether the crews of both vessels were in some degree to blame. In the latter case neither party could recover compensation, but if one party only were to blame, the other was entitled to recover for the damage sustained. With regard to the damages, the witnesses had stated that the ship was worth from 8151. at 51. per ton, to 850/; the cargo of coals, 1477; and charts and instruments about 201. That would be the damage, if the jury considered the plaintiffs entitled to the verdict. The plaintiffs must show that they had used all ordinary caution and prudence, and did not contribute to the loss, otherwise they cannot recover. It has been urged by the defendants that it was not right for the Eliza to alter her course at all, being close-hauled by the wind; but if I see they are coming upon my ship inevitably to crush me and my property, I am undoubtedly justified in saving myself, my crew, and my ship; and the plaintiff's crew were perfectly justified in so doing. As to the state of the wind, the witnesses on both sides agree generally. There is, in fact, not more than half a point difference at 10 o'clock, when the accident happened; except one witness, who said it was S.S.E. He certainly appears to have fallen in with an extraordinary current. For the plaintiffs it has been shown that their vessel was tacking, and making the best course she could towards Dublin, with the wind SS. W., and the ship steering a W. course; and that the crew did all they could until the last emergency, and if that be correct the accident must have been caused by the crew of the Fortune. For the defendants it is said one ship is going EN. E. and the other W.S.W., and therefore meeting one another, but they represent the Eliza to be considerably to windward, about a point and a half on the Fortune's starboard bow, and that if the vessels had both continued their courses, they would have passed half a mile distant. The learned judge then added, that the plaintiffs were entitled to recover, if the jury were satisfied that the Eliza's crew had done their duty, and the accident happened by the mismanagement of the Fortune's crew, bearing in mind that the plaintiffs ought not to fail by porting their helm, at the last extremity, in consequence of the previous mismanagement of the Fortune; but if they should be of opinion that the accident happened from the Eliza coming improperly towards the Fortune, then the defendants would be entitled to their verdict.

The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs, damages 9591. 15s.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A SAILORS' HOME AT THIS PORT.-We feel unfeigned pleasure in directing the attention of our readers to a public meeting held here on Tuesday last, at which it was determined on establishing forthwith a Sailors' Home in this important locality. It was exceedingly gratifying to see a veteran officer, surrounded by brother officers in both services taking a leading and active part in a step so important, and one so eminently calcu lated to advance the social and moral interests of our gallant tars. The generous and unanimous feeling expressed by all who took part in the proceedings in favour of doing something to ameliorate the present degraded condition of the sailor, was most enthusiastically responded to by a numerous and influential audience, who estimated, in the manner it deserved the important testimony of the gallant Lieutenant Governor of this district, Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, relative to the working of similar efforts on behalf of the soldier, by the establishment of Regimental Savings' Banks. In truth, the kind interest manifested by his lordship in behalf of this effort to improve the sinews of the sister service does him infinite honour.-Ilants Telegraph.

METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER.

Kept at Croom's Hill, Greenwich, by Mr. W. Rogerson, Royal Observatory. From the 21st of March, to the 20th of April, 1850.

Thermometer

Wind.

In the shade. Quarter. Strength.

Weather.

March, 1850.-Mean height of the barometer = 30.168 inches; mean temperature degrees; depth of rain fallen -0.19 inch

Hunt, Printer, Church Street, Edgware Road,

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