Page:Voyages in the Northern Pacific - 1896.djvu/148

120 of his time, often inviting us on board. He took a particular fancy to me, and asked me to command the Santa Rosa; to which I agreed, and in October, 1818, entered on my office. We sailed for Atooi, to take on board some of the Santa Rosa's mutineers, who had been left there by the brig, and got four of them, but could not find Mr. Griffiths. The Commodore being determined to shoot him, told Tamooree (Kaumualii), that if the man was not produced he would destroy the fort and set fire to the village. Three days after Griffiths was sent in a prisoner, tried by a court martial, and sentenced to be shot, having but two hours to make his peace with the Almighty. He was brought down to the beach (where the Patriot colours were displayed) blindfolded, and shot by four marines, belonging to the Argentina. Many hundred of the natives were collected to witness the execution. The corpse was buried on the beach at high-water-mark; the ships then made sail for Woahoo, for some more of the men who had run away, and found that they had escaped to Mowee; the Commodore being determined not to leave a single mutineer on the islands, proceeded thither in pursuit of them, and on arriving learnt that they had gone to the mountains. Don Hypolito then hired a number of natives to pursue the fugitives, and they were brought on board in three days. They were tried by a court martial, one was sentenced to be shot, the others to get twelve dozen lashes; they were brought on deck, and the former was reprieved, but the other received the punishment, which tore his back in a