Another Massacre by Islanders.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 188, 10 November 1880, Page 2

Another Massacre by Islanders.

[by telegraph.]

.Auckland, Yesterday. Not.-c -.1.'- ototr.q tllftt tljc cutter Idaho was engaged in recruiting for labor in the island of Sanlc. On the evening of her arrival from Noumea the natives came and promised to return in the morning with recruits. Two canoes, with about a dozen men in each, came aboard, bartering bananas in a friendly manner and most of them speaking good broken English. On their arrival the ship’s boat in charge of a native crew, under the orders of a native named Sammade, made a trip ashore. As soon as she was gone the natives left the cutter for their canoes to get tomahawks, and returned to the vessel armed. They, gradually surrounded McMillan, who was at the stem of the vessel cleaning firearms, and; suddenly split his head open-with a tomahawk. There were no other whites aboard, but three natives and seven recruits. These'were attacked; two were killecj and a boy wounded and pitched into the hold, where two natives sought refuge. These two men seizing muskets menaced the natives, who cleared out, plunging into the sea. Simultaneously, the boat’s crew were attacked, and all killed, save Sam and Santo Charlie. As soon as the attack began Sam plunged into the sea, and made for a distant point of land, and concealed himself in sight of the vessel until all was quiet, and then swam off. He then heaved anchor, and sailed the vessel as best he could, aided by the two left of the crew and the recruits, for several days. They were sighted by the Lady Belmore, 140 miles from the scene of the outrage.