358
turned the same answer as before, stating that if Mr. Murray would return with articlos for sale, he would be happy to trade with him. Musters, therefore, of all the articles on board the brig wore sent on shore, at which they seemed surprised, not being aware that wa bad
werd
returned in an hour
or so, with a
those things were not bought there, but that wo
articles word tobacco and salt-two articles in great demand there, and bouts Tadon with those articles, from this place to the inte
but these
SUPPLEMENT.
the fire from the town and the boats was too much for us, and that the bouts were closing in to board, and having now a hair wing, it was determined to slip our cables and make sail, which we did, passing on the opposite side of the island to which we came up, and diftorem from what they expected we would have taken, and thus escaped the batteries they had evident
every house and place it was possible to place a gun, either on the island or main. The boats now. tried to reach thờ
with jungle. Capt. Hart went in his boat to soun but found it would be some hours before we would he able to eross. The boats now took advantage poim above us, and opened a well directed brisk in upon us, raking both vessels, cutting up the rigging,
optedly halling the brig. It was so severe, tha the Lime Capt. Lewis allowed no and on the poop at
arriving in great numbers every minuta, and cross ve over out of our fire, with the evident intention
!
dan; though amongst #01 try them at Semuiron- ly built on that side, though wo were fired at from himself, the poop gun being of no use Boaps wra
I of P
rior, which is very populous, were constantly passing coed, y, z "nd of the Island before us, but did not suc ing down one of the other renches, and attacking us on
118.
During the last few days, the natives had been very busy plating guns to bear on us from all parts of the town, where it was possible to place them. Large boats full of men, and carrying guns, were passing constantly betwixt the town and the large island below us, distant from the brig about three or four hundred yards, apparently fortifying it. Mr Murray seeing their preparations, and knowing that there were places on the river where we would be much exposed, and where we had no doubt that they had placed guns, and also.31.Sempirendan, a populons town, with numerous made considerable = "onttery of
very heavy guns, it
with cines Perfew, and that the peopla whom he nigke anve to contend were noted for their skill,
being favoured by the breeze
It was now our endeavour to reach the sea as soon as possible, without giving them a chance to board; though It seemed nearly impossible, having eighty miles of river before us several dangerous places to pass, as regarded the water; as well as Semmerindon, whose situation for defence and offence is remarkably good and further, we know Ont, if the wind did not full, it would
be foul in some of the reaches
the rear Seeing this, it was decided to move ali i further down, so that we could prevent them round- the point; at the same time compel those bouts ab us to come out, at least when they fired. In a sho time, as we expected, the boats came to the point u aboam of us, though not as they expected, in our rear, and received such a severe fire of grape and mosquete», as compelled them to retreat, but they soon returned with fresh boats, opening a
**** fire of grape fud musquetry on us, but it was so warmly returned both vessels, that they were never able to round point,
It was here, during this heavy cross dre, that At.. Murray was killed; he was shot though the heart by n grape shot, whilst pointing the schooners and slu, gun. Two men, volunteers, came in the schoons expired almost instantaneously; the expression ** My God" was all he ever uttered. During th.
action he was very active, going from f excouraging themes, who certainly
bravoly, standing to their guns though
cruelty and bravery -taking these things into consider:... up on the boats at overy opportunity, and several bont for me, in spite of the heavy fire; but he kn ation, he addressed a letter to the Captains, Officers, &c., in the brig and schooner that for our hostages safety, and that of the crews, he was going to for our safe ennduct out of the river, the propriety of which proceeding wo all saw, and signed the letter to that effect. This was also stated to the grows; and to
whole of
to
-let them know what they might expect, the murders of gave the brig time to get out, though unfortunately she
the
The bouts, to the number at least one hundred and twenty, exrrying one hundred men in some, now pur- sued up closely, and opened a brisk fire en us from every point where they could be protected by the bush; and we were also fired at from numerous points on the banks, from amongst the jungle, and with large guns too, where we least expected 11. A brisk fire was kept destroyed--though none were fired at unless they fired them. The wind being now fout, the brig in tacking first, or houses touched that did not fire unfortunately get into eddy, when the boats, taking the opportunity, opened a very brisk fire on her; but Capt. havod Hart, in the schooter, running back amongst them, in the hottes fires-returning their abi*. a cheer-always ready to do anything, though shortly afterwards got in the bush (the water the had had nothing to eat but biscuit during Üle whole way up being very deep to the edge, and the trees projecting ever), when the fire again from the boats was tremendons, firing grape and asquetry, they being protected by a point quite near, wounding Mr. Me Nally, whilst pointing his gun, very severely, though fortunately not until she was nonely off, so well she directed and incessant was the fire from his gun. alarm given, though not until they were within a few whilst under his command. The bonts being, innne.- yards of us, owing to the dense fog Some boats were seon from the brig, but nothing further occurred, they abcing that we were prepared. The men remained at their quarters the rest of the night. Next morning a native, under the pretence of selling two fowls, asked us if we had been attacked or frightened during the night, as some bad men up the river wore the parties who had attempted it,
Major Muller, a Dutch Oficer, and his party of twenty-five soldiers, and that of Captain Gravesome (mn Englishman), and his crew, at this place, by the present Sultan, reading the recount as published in the Singapore Chronicle, by Mr. Dalton, who was detained in this place, and only escaped by stratagon
The same night, about 1, am.. they made an attempt to board the schooner, but were discovered.
About H, A. M., Mr. Murray sont a lotter
to the
the Sultan, with the request for hostages, and stating, that if they were not sent in half an hour, he would
fire over his house, and if they intended sending them, they must come in a boat bearing a white flag. Thinking ho want time for deliberation, Mr.
diately manned by volunteers, whilst n woll directed fire from Natives at a a distance, though tention to have boarded her i
notion,
the
sume that we had been able to get the within the range of grape and musketry, and serdely they felt it, their guns being long, and carrying a mont distance romarkably correctly. After about
a crow
hard firing at our anchors, Mr. Garrett, chief of the schooner, with the brig's long boat, and
of volunteers, laid out
warped over the
art
i on board kopt th their brident 1- bar. Though we rounded several times, yet with;
fair wind we got over safely and made all sail for the 820,
which we could see about. still pursued by the honts, who kept we made a good offing about ma they and their last est, about thirty-four hours after the first. The brig having fired alone seven hundred and twenty rounds during the action.
We now made all saine the Dutch pom for the on the morning of the 15th port of Manado, to refit, &c. Mr. Murray
of February, at
The wind having failed, and the night coming on, it was determined to lash the vessels together, so that in case they should attempt to board in the night, we would be better able to defend our solves ; for we were perfectly aware, that if they once obtained a footing our decks, we would have been unal
uuable, from their numbors, to have driven them back; and once in their hands, we know our fate. Lashed together, we silently dropped
80
W43
at sen
Alurray waited until a quarter past 10, A. M., When mirendao to pass, not knowing what our reception that occurs
we ply
The
the simple and correct account if all from our entrance until our leaving the rivor Coti; of the death of our lamented leader, and
through
of our really wonderful escape the
of us look back
that they might not have a mark. We still had Sem-
the first gun was fired from the seliooner; in a short might be, knowing as we did her means of annoyance, time another, when, instead of hostages, they fired from the heights and nature of the river. We arrived upon us-firing from all parts of the town, and from there about half past eight v. m, when we found that numerous boats; the shots very well directed. The they had provided for us passing in the dark, by light- firing now brisk on both sides, and a number of boats, ing large fires on the opposite side of the river to where evidently prepared for the purpose, with a large the guns were placed, so that when obscured the square place in the centre, built of loge, so as to pro- light they immediately fired, and with very heavy abilities, bravery, and coolness, fect those that
fired, as well as the paddlers, now metal too. The fire off Semmirudan was not returned; mado their appearance, making for the Island, where, wo passed in perfect silence. This, and numerous protected by the brush, they opened a taking fire on other preparations, evidently, showed that they never the brig and schooner. They also planted guns on a
meant us to have left the river from our first entrance. small Island betwixt the and the main island, After leaving Semmirendan, we dropped down until keeping up a brisk fire
oft still lashed
watching
and musquetry, kil we fell od tide, when we nnchored,
ling one and wounding others, their places being supplied by others of the natives, as fast as they drivon from the island, or
the boats, that several the boats firing at as from a point abero; but having fair wind, we made sail, followed by the beats, until we reached that part of the river where the bar is situated,
from the brig's gun on the pooled by the brisk mes attempted to close lo. At daylight we weighed;
manned entirely by the officers and volunteers (Mr. Hart, Mr. Abrabans,
Mr. Royce, under the command of Mr. about thriteen miles from the sea here we had to anchor
Me
the schooner's, stern guns, which were at last got to bear on them. But Gnding that
in one of the four branches into which the river divides, separated from each other by narrow islands covered
which we passed, without thinking of the conduct of onr commanders, Mr. Murray, Capt. A. Hart, at Capt. H. Lewis, and feeling that respect for their brought ay out of so much danger and difficulty,
bat of the other officers and gentlemen of
duty in the most danguvis pedition, who did their
situations,
From my being in both v vessels during the aution, and intimately acquainted, through Mr. Murray, of all that occurred, both before, and curing our stay in the Cou, and when not engaged with the wounded, possing see more of what passed then a person my time in assisting on deck, and thus being upde to erson confined to e place and one vessel is the reason why I have taken the task of writing this upon me.
WILLIAM SAEL Surgeon to the Expadition.