the Americans were white lizards; they could not climb the mountains
without Marquesans to carry their guns, and yet they talked of
chastising the Typees, who had never fled before an enemy and whose
gods were unbeatable. They dared the white men to come among them.

At this juncture Porter faced treachery in his own camp. He had many
English prisoners captured from British ships, and these made a plot
to escape by poisoning the rum of the Americans. Porter learned of
this, and finding an American sentry asleep he shot him with his own
hand, and ordered every Englishman put in irons. He was also
troubled by mutinies among his own men, who were loth to face any
more battles, being contented as they were with plenty of drink, the
best of food, and the passionate devotion of the native women, who
thronged the camp day and night. With no light hand Porter put down
revolt and mutiny, and prepared to begin war on the Typees.

First he built a strong fort, assisted by the Tai-o-haes and Hapaas,
and there he took possession of the Marquesas in the name of the
United States. On November 19, 1813, the American flag was run up
over the fort, a salute of seventeen guns was fired from the
artillery mounted there and answered from the ships in the bay. Rum
was freely distributed, and standing in a great concourse of
wondering natives, with the Englishman, Wilson, at his side
interpreting his words, Porter read the following proclamation:

It is hereby made known to the world that I, David Porter,
a captain in the navy of the United States of America, now in
command of the United States frigate _Essex_, have, on the part
of the United States, taken possession of the island called by
the natives Nooaheevah, generally known by the name of Sir