MASSACRE AT SANTA CRUZ.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 142, 17 November 1874, Page 3

MASSACRE AT SANTA CRUZ.

The Sydney Evening JVetvs of Oct. 22 contains a few further particulars regarding the massacre of the Lapwing’s crew and the attack on H.M. schooner Sandfly The Lapwing was a cutter of about 40 tons, and sailed from New Caledonia about 11 months’ since, with a crew of four white men and several natives, on a beche-le-mer fishing voyage in the New Hebrides group. The cutter having fulfilled her mission, preparations were being made for the return to Noumea, but she was short of provisions. The mate left the cutter with a native boat's crew, to endeavor to get provisions from the natives of Santa Cruz, and while the boat was close in shore the inhabitants of the place made a combined attack upon her, and either clubbed or tomahawked all excepting one Tanna native, who escaped in the boat and got clear of the island. An attack was then made upon the cutter, and the master and the rest of the crew were killed, and the cutter seized and destroyed. The Tanna man was picked up by H.M. schooner Sandfly, cruising in the vicinity, and conveyed to Sandwich Island (Now Hebrides), from whence the W. S. Fox sailed. The Lapwing was owned in New Caledonia. It transpired that H.M. schooner Sandfly, Lieutenant Howell, when at Santa Cruz, was nearly taken by the natives of the island. It is reported that she was at anchor in a calm, and the crew were all below at dinner, one man only being on the look-out, but the ship’s gun was loaded and all the rifles fully charged in case of an emergency. Several hundreds of canoes, it is stated, surrounded the Sandfly, with the evident intention of attacking her, when the Sandfly opened fire upon the natives with the swivel guns and small rifles. The fire was hotly returned, the canoes sending volleys of arrows from all quarters, and still surrounding the schooner, and getting at closer quarters. A breeze, however, sprung up, enabling the Sandfly to get away from the place.”