nov. 3rd.—this morning half-a-dozen junkmen went ashore to catch shell fish, on which three of them were cruelly beaten about the legs by a score of cowardly islanders. our little fleet of nine junks was in a state of high indignation. we could send fifty men to fight. in their own fashion they immediately loaded their rusty matchlocks and small guns with powder only! and taking to their , flying their respective flags, amidst great beating of gongs, made for the village. all the islanders were congregated like a flock of white sheep on the top of the hill. two or three of the fiercer ones were going through all kinds of warlike manoeuvres on a near cliff. steadily our flotilla advanced, firing volley after volley of power—the more prudent one fire about five hundred yards from the village. two of the most daring boats advanced towards the shore, where, by this time, many of those from the hill had collected themselves and were engaged very vigorously in pelting stones; nothing daunted, these two boats seized a small junk lying off the beach, in a trice they had lifted the anchor, and amidst great acclamations brought away their prize. it is a small tub and will be given up tomorrow.