The island appeared to be deserted, but just as the invaders were preparing to leave the scene of desolation, a woman was discovered hiding in a nearby mangrove. A search discovered all the people who had been unable to swim to the mainland the night before, either through age, infirmity or the need to care for young children. There followed a scene of the most revolting savagery as those in hiding either ran or were dragged from cover. Many were clubbed immediately, while others were run down and dispatched by spears. Over three hundred fifty old men, women and children were butchered. The canoe in which Lockerby was held prisoner had forty-two bodies on board, on which sea water was continuously poured to neutralize the effects of the hot sun. As the canoes sailed back to the mainland coast in the evening the reddening sky silhouetted the bodies of children hanging from the mastheads. Of all those left behind on Tavea, only a boy, whose body was horribly mangled, survived the massacre.
After the cannibal feast that followed, the canoes sailed once more towards Bua Bay, satisfied that the power of Tavea had been broken. The warriors were dismayed to find the two ships still covering the entrance to the bay. Now the boarding nettings were triced up and the guns were manned. At last the imminence of danger had been recognized.
Once more the canoes headed for the mainland shore out of sight of the ships. Lockerby was looking for an opportunity for him and his men to make a dash for freedom, but none came. He passed up one chance of escaping on his own, but one of the other seamen ran off into the bush and made his way to Bua Bay. When the man reported to Captain Campbell, that worthy had just returned from bombarding the fort at Tacilevu with a twelve-pounder in retaliation for the supposed death of his men. He was assured that they were still alive but that the position was critical.
In the meantime Lockerby, still captive, had been offering any concessions to their captors in return for their release. He had even offered to assist them in their attack on Tui Bua in return for a cargo of sandalwood. His oratory had its effect, and he was just at the stage of discussing the form of release and the presents he would obtain from the ship when the news came of Campbell's attack on Tacilevu in which nine defenders had been killed.
It was then decided to send back to the ships all the men except Lockerby and another named Thomas Berry, who were to be held as hostages against the presents the warriors expected to receive. The canoe left with the remainder, but as they neared the ships, the Fijians stopped paddling and refused to go any closer. Confident that they could be covered by fire from the ships and desperate in case their captors should return ashore, the seamen took the canoe by force and made for the ship. Had it not been for the men held as hostages, it is certain that they would have exacted revenge for the treatment received and the long days of captivity, especially since some of the Fijians were still wearing the clothing that had been stripped off the captives. Once alongside, the seamen forcibly recovered all their gear, whereupon the Fijians in the canoe threatened that they would take revenge on the hostages. Captain Campbell decided therefore to seize two of their number who were of chiefly rank and ordered the remainder away from the ship's side. An ugly situation arose with the warriors' return to the shore. Instead of bringing the presents, they had returned empty-handed after losing two of their number. The returned men formed a close ring around the two captives, haranguing them fiercely, and one stepped forward with raised club. But Buli Dama knew that he could not force the fort if the ships helped in its defence. He agreed to ransom the two foreigners and sent them off in a large group of canoes in an attempt to secure the neutrality of the ships in the coming battle.
Tempers were now short, and each side was suspicious of the intentions of the other. Seeing the unusually large number of canoes approaching, Captain Campbell, fearing attack, ordered a warning shot to be fired over them, at which the canoes stopped and began to retire out of range. Surveying the scene through his glass Campbell saw the two figures of his men and realized he had been too hasty. He then dispatched a small boat manned by two Indian Lascar crew members containing presents for the Fijians. These men were permitted close to the canoes as they were obviously harmless. Lockerby, rapidly questioning the Lascars in Hindustani, discovered to his dismay that the two Fijian hostages were already dead. They had attempted to escape and had almost got free when the captain, realizing the fate of his two men if they regained their liberty, opened fire and killed both of them.
Lockerby rapidly told the Lascars of their situation and sent back a message that the only way to save them now was an attack on the canoes. This time Campbell sent a larger boat, with two Lascars facing away from the canoes dressed as the dead chiefs, and with an armed party lying concealed in the bottom boards. Unfortunately they were all so keyed up that when the helmsman cried out a warning of a reef ahead the seamen took it as a signal to attack and showed themselves too soon.
However, they poured a withering musket fire into the canoes, which had the Fijians jumping overboard each time the guns were discharged. The Fijians thus escaped some of the musket balls but others found their mark, and the surrounding sea was soon reddened with the stain of their blood. Berry escaped and was able to swim over to the boat, but Lockerby was unable to free himself from his bonds and had to jump overboard still bound. There he was grabbed by a huge Fijian, dragged under water, and nearly drowned until the hail of musket fire drove off his attacker and he surfaced to be rescued by the boat's crew.
Having been worsted by a mere boat's crew, it was obvious that the invasion fleet could not now force the bay, particularly after they had permanently forfeited the goodwill of the men in the ships. Under the protection of the guns, Tui Bua was safe, as the canoe fleet, still impressive, sailed away.
Many minor chiefs of the Bua coast who had defected to the enemy now came to Tui Bua and made their sora or obeisance and asked for forgiveness. Secure in the protection of his friends, the Tui generously gave this after a few words of warning as to future loyalties. But the warriors of Tacilevu and Korovatu, although paying their tribute to Tui Bua, warned that they would kill any of the ships' men who ventured ashore. When they were told that the attack on their forts had taken place only after they had joined the enemy who held the seamen prisoner, they surlily renewed their threats.
The sandalwood trade was now, more than ever, at a standstill because of the certain fate of men sent to collect the wood. The ships' captains decided to make an all-out attack on the Tacilevu fort, and Tui Bua, still unforgiving despite his smooth words to the defenders, agreed to assist the ships. The forces of the Tui numbered about 1,800, and Lockerby commanded one of the boats of the General Wellesley with sixteen European seamen. The boat was armed with a twelve-pounder carronade and a four-pounder fitted forward. The boat of the recently arrived Tonquin was commanded by the mate Brown and was fitted with similar guns. As Brown and his men had just arrived they had none of the bitterness or reasons for revenge that prompted Lockerby and his followers. It is probably for that reason that it was later reported that the Tonquin did not "engage heartily."
After the men hauled the boats close inshore at high tide, an irregular fire was opened on the forts without causing any visible damage to the wickerwork stockade. The falling tide made it necessary to move out into deeper water for fear of grounding the boats and leaving them vulnerable to attack. As the boats withdrew, many of the Bua warriors attacked while some of their number were set to clearing the undergrowth from the approaches to the fort.
The Korovatu adherents of the defenders had arrived and occupied an adjacent hilltop, but were prevented from making contact with their allies by the disposition of the Bua warriors who had surrounded the fort.
Lockerby now set up his guns in the newly cleared approaches and undertook a brisk attack on the fortifications. In an attempt to suppress the accurate gunfire the Tacilevu warriors made a sortie from the fort at the same time as their allies launched a fierce attack from the hilltop. Weathering a hail of cannister shot and musket balls, they almost reached the guns but were met in time by the men of Bua. A fierce hand-to-hand contest followed in which the now silent guns were saved by the Tui's men.
Breaking off the engagement after a heavy loss of life, the defenders again retired to their fort on the hilltop.