THE CRUISE OF H.M.S. CORMORANT.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2507, 20 April 1882, Page 4

THE CRUISE OF H.M.S. CORMORANT.

(“ Sydney Daily Telegraph.”) Since the well-known massacre on the labor schooner Isabelle at the New Hebrides, there has bean a considerable amount of interest taken in the South Soa slave trade, and frequent inquiries have been made as to the intentions of the 11 powers that be” on this side of the equator. On the 12th of January, 1881, her Majesty’s steamship Cormorant (1137 tons, Captain Maxwell commanding) left Port Jackson en route for Brisbane. On the 17th of the same month she arrived at the port of Brisbane, casting anchor in Moreton Bay. She left Brisbane on the 28 ! .h, Col. Crossman and Lieut. Bussell of the Boyal Engineers being passengers by her. Her destination was the Island of Suva, in the Fiji group. She oalled at the capital of New Caledonia, Noumea, en route, for the purpose of taking in coal, and having stayed at that port some time she proceeded on her coarse, and arrived at Levuka on the 13th February. Here she was quarantined for nineteen days. In the meantime Oapt. Crossman and the captain of H.M.S. Cormorant made a survey of the port, studying its geographical position and topography, with a view to ascertaining the capabilities as a station, means of defence, &c., upon which a report will be made in due course. Captain Crossman and Lieutenant Bussell loft Suva (after completing the survey) in the Qunga for Sydney, and the Cormorant proceeded on her cruise to the New Hebrides. At Tonga she fell in with the labor schooner Stanley, and also experienced a hurricane, that, commencing with a equal), •truck her abeam, and lusted from that night (on the 10th) till six o’clock on the morning of the 12th, The next port of call was Cape Lisburn, whore a tragic event occurred, which will cause a very considerable amount of sensation throughout the colony, ono of the most popular and deserving officers in her Majesty’s service having lost his life there in a manner that can scarcely be called inglorious, although it did not occur in connection with the “ pomp and circumstance of glorious war.” On this trip the Cormorant carried with her two of the natives who had been on the Isabelle at the time of the mas•acre, also the Government agent; and she arrived there on the morning of the 16th March. It was here, or in this vicinity, that the mate of the Isabelle was murdered by the blacks some months since. A more inhospitable looslity than this it would be difficult to imagine. The anchorage is anything but good, and the coast line scarcely affords secure shelter for shipping, whilst the beach is ono lino of foam right and left, as far as the eyes can reach, making it anything but a pleasant prospect to land without surf boats, which, it should bo needless to say, sro not in those parts familiar. The weather was calm at the time, however, and no difficulty was experienced in landing the cutter and two other of the ship’s boats, containing about fifty of the officers and crew, under command of Lieutenant Charles M. Luokraft. There were twelve marines, the rest of those who formed the party being blue jackets, Lieutenant Howter and Midshipman F. Jonee being the other officers. From what can be gathered from the accounts furnished of the landing and subsequent proceedings, it would appear that the party landed in sections by a tender boat from the cutter, and then proceeded to the village, which is a considerable distance from the beach. They were divided into several sections, the foremost of which was in charge of Lieutenant Lnckiaft, a start being made about four o’clock. A track was followed leading to the village but the density of the bush was so groat after they had proceeded some distance, and the footway so circuitou?, that a half d'.zen men walking in single file might almost lose sight of one another in marclvng along. After proceeding through thin bush and scrub for about an hour they came upon the village, and here it was that Mr Luokraft lost his life, a shot being fired from an enclosure, striking him in the cheat, and inflicting a wound from which he shortly afterwards died. Previous to Mr Luokraft being shot two women were captured at the outskirts of the encampment, and as soon as they were taken they gave a warning signal, which no doubt caused a stampede from the village ; hence the deeorted appearance of it, and the shot, which took Mr Luokraft’a life, from an ambush. The wounded officer was at once carried to the boat and conveyed on board, but ho had expired some time before ho left the shore. In the meantime nothing more was seen of the natives, who had disappeared in the bush, having entirely deserted their encampment. The Cormorant then loft the Cape, and proceeded on her voyage along the coast, which was carefully investigated, which measures resulted in the capture of an aboriginal who is supposed to have been implicated in the murder of the mate of the Isabelle, It is stated that two of the natives on board the Cormorant (who were on the Isabelle at the time of the massacre) have recognised this man as one of those concerned in the affair. On the voyage home, and before reaching Noumea, this man managed to jump overboard, evidently contemplating suicide. The vessel was brought to and search made, the result being that ho was picked up very much exhausted. He was then put in safe custody, and now awaits his trial. The Cormorant arrived at Noumea on the 20th of March, and on the day following the body of Lieutenant Luckraft was interred with military honors, the •tall of the naval station, under Admiral Courbet, and the officers of French infantry and others being present. On the 24th the Cormorant left for Sydney, and entered the Heads at 7 p.m. yesterday.