Whilst struggling with the Indian, I observed Sexton, who was held by another, bite a piece of his arm out, but after that knew nothing of him, until I found his life had been spared in a manner similar to my own.*
(*Footnote. Upon interrogating Ireland to obtain some explanation of the reason their lives were spared, he says, that he has frequently seen the Indians recover themselves in a moment from a violent paroxysm of fury; and he attributes their safety to a circumstance of this nature. P.P.K.)
At a short distance off, making the most hideous yells, the other savages were dancing round a large fire, before which were placed in a row the heads of their victims; whilst their decapitated bodies were washing in the surf on the beach, from which they soon disappeared, having been probably washed away by the tide. Sexton and I were then placed in charge of two natives, who covered us with the sail of the canoe, a sort of mat, but paid no attention to my wound, which had been bleeding profusely.
The next day the Indians collected all the heads; and, embarking, removed to another island where the women lived, which they called Pullan. On landing there, Ireland saw two of Captain D'Oyly's children, and the ship's dog, called Portland; the elder (George) D'Oyly, told him that the first raft had landed on the island, and that all the passengers, excepting himself and his brother, had been instantly murdered; that his mother was killed by a blow with a club, and that his little brother was in her arms at the time, but was saved by one of the women, who afterwards took care of him. The child was seen by Ireland, when they landed, in the woman's arms, crying very much. He also saw some pieces of the ship's cabin doors, attached as ornaments to the heads of their canoes, which they appeared to prize very much, and other relics, among which were the heads of the passengers and crew, of the first raft; those of Mrs. D'Oyly and Captain Moore being plainly distinguishable; the former by the hair, the latter by the features. The heads were suspended by a rope to a pole that was stuck up near the huts of the women; round which they danced every night and morning, accompanying their infuriated gestures with the most horrid yells.
The number of Indians collected amounted to about sixty; they were merely residing on the island during the fishing season; for their home, as it afterwards turned out; was at a considerable distance off. Their principal subsistence was turtle and small fish, which they caught with hook and line, and shellfish which abound on the reefs. The island also produces a small fruit like a plum with a stone in it, probably a species of Eugenia. The fish were broiled over the ashes of a fire, or boiled in the basin of a large volute (Voluta ethiopica) which being rather a scarce shell is of great value to them.
The island of Pullan is covered with low trees and underwood, and the soil is sandy. In the centre of it is a spring, which supplied the whole party with sufficient water for their consumption; and, as Ireland says, they used a great deal, it must at least have yielded fifteen or twenty gallons a day, for the hole was always full. Upon a voyage they carry their water in bamboo joints, and coconut shells, as do the Malays.
After remaining here two months, the Indians separated. One party taking Ireland and the infant D'Oyly with them, embarked in a canoe, and after half a day's sail reached another islet to the northward, where they remained a day and a night, on a sandy beach; and the next morning proceeded and reached another island similar to Pullan, low and bushy, where they remained a fortnight. They then proceeded to the northward, calling on their way at different islands, and remaining as long as they supplied food, until they reached one,* where they remained a month, and then they went on a visit to Darnley's Island, which they called Aroob, where for the first time, Ireland says, he met with kind treatment.
(*Footnote. Probably one of the group of the northward of Halfway Island, near Aureed, named by Mr. Lewis, Sir Richard Bourke's Group.)
After a fortnight they again embarked and returned by the way they came, to an island they called Sir-reb,* situated near Aureed, where their voyage ended, and they remained until purchased by Duppar, the Murray Islander; who, it appears, upon hearing that there were two white boys in captivity, at Aureed, embarked in a canoe with his wife Pamoy, and went for the express purpose of obtaining them, taking for the purpose of barter some fruit. The price of their ransom was a branch of bananas, for each. They returned by way of Darnley's Island, where they stopped a few days, and then reached Murray's Island, where they remained ever since, and were most kindly treated. Duppar gave little D'Oyly to a native named Oby to take care of; a charge of which he faithfully acquitted himself, and both Oby and his adopted child soon became very fond of each other; for as the child was a mere infant, he soon forgot his mother, and naturally attached himself to his nurse. When at Aureed the Indians had named Ireland, Wak; and little D'Oyly, they called Uass; names which they retained at Murray's Island, and by which they are doubtless now known all over the archipelago.
(*Footnote. Sir-reb, according to Ireland's information is Marsden Island. P.P.K.)