ONLY SAVAGES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1366, 9 October 1886, Page 3

ONLY SAVAGES.

The following is from the epeoial reporter of tho Age, writing from & vfwol orul*lng|off the New Hebrides Islands The scenery along this portion of the coast is highly picturesque Many waterfalls of considerable size are to be seen like silver 1 threads streaking the sides of the mountain and cliff lam shown t u e site of a village which some little time ago was shelled by tho French warship L’AlHer. A Frenchman named Mathieu, In the employ of Mr Morgan as a trader on this part of the coast was murdered by some of the inhabitants of the village. Tho L’Allier was sent to inflict punishment on his murderers, and on her arrival off the coast the captain sent ashore and demanded that they her surrendered to him, the s’tarnative being the destruction of the village. At about 12 o’clock that n : ght a small canoe earns off to the ship cont lining a little boy, who demanded to see the captain, as he had something important to communicate Ho was ushered Into the captain's presence, the aid of an interpreter, demanded his business. The ohlef of h’s village had ordered him io go on board the man-of-war arid tell the captain that he might kill and eat him, on condition that “fight he finish.” In other words, that this poori little life should be taken, and Tris infant body eatsn, and that constde-e 1 fall compensation for the loss of the murdered Frenchman* The little patriot was fully persuaded that he bad looked his last on his beloved island He was kindly treated, and the captain took him to Nonmea, as the poor fellow’s life would have bean fcrefelted had ha been sent back to the shore without fulfilling his mission. The village was shelled the next day, but I do not think any lives were lost on that- occasion, as the natives having had warning retreated to the intsrlor of the island, and did not retnrn until the departure of the ves 01, They found their houses;burnt and broken, and the ground torn up in all directions. Tots was not a great loss, as a few days’ work enabled them to repair the damage done. Vengeance, however, still pursued t’lem They found a number of shells which had not exploded, and wishing to show their contempt p£ the 'white man’s lumps of Iron, built a large fir« and rolled them Into It. The consequence may be imagined. A number <i the unfortunate wretches were killed on the spot, 1 asked one of them about >ho matter, and after discrlbing the Leiden t, he concluded by saying, “Man a-wee-wee : ho no fight fair.”