OUTRAGES BY THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDERS.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 111, 8 October 1874, Page 3

OUTRAGES BY THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDERS.

Mr Walter H. L. Chubb, Government agent of the schooner Mystery, writes to the Hrishanc Courier respecting the massacre of three men from the schooner Zephyr at Apii, and outrages committed by the natives of other islands. He says, in reference to the latter subject:—“ I was twice fired at myself at the Islands of Santo and Paama. At the first place I had been working the island for two or three days, and on going ashore at one of the small islands of Santo, near Hat Island, I had a knife and tomahawk stolen out of the boat. The white man who was with me at the time ran ashore to recover it, when he was chased by a lot of natives with spears. I had great difficulty in saving the man’s life, as the natives who were pulling the boat took fright and commenced to pull away. I managed, however, to cut the steer oar adrift, and let him catch hold of one end while I held the other, and pulled him through the water out of harm’s way and got him into the boat. Several spears were thrown at us, and one passed over my shoulder, and struck the seat of the boat. At the other island (Paama) I had not gone ashore, but was quietly waiting for two boys that were promised. After waiting a long time I attempted to pull for the ship, when I saw a man swimming out towards us. I made straight for him, but had not gone far when a shower of arrows and a few musket shots were fired at us. I I was slightly wounded in the right hand, and returned fire once, but owing to the heavy sea that was on at the time, I could not take aim. ft was, however, the means of dispersing them, and we got clear. The first time I had no firearms in the boat. As to Obbard, poor fellow, I last met him alive at the Island of Aoba. Little did I think when parting from him that it would be the last time 1 would see him alive. The natives are very treacherous, and if a slight punishment is given to one of them they are sure to kill the men that come the next time. In fact, in some cases the natives, without the slightest [apparent cause, fire upon white men. A found that the most|dangerous are generally those who have been to Queensland, and have returned to their islands. I think that eventually the trade will die out. There Seems to be too much ‘ trade ’ brought back by the natives, and they do not care to go back or recruit.”