THE MURDERS ON BOARD THE MERVA.

Grey River Argus, Issue 1077, 10 January 1872, Page 2

THE MURDERS ON BOARD THE MERVA.

We stated two or three weeks ago tbat fears were' entertained for Messrs Warburton, Whittaker, Kingston, and cwo or three other men well known in Victoria, who had left Levuka, in Fiji, in a small vessel with % number of Solomon Islanders on board for an island at a short distance, where they had a plantation ; and we gave recently a short account of the recovery of the vessel and the capture of the men. who had carried her off after mnrde.ing the five white men on board. The following account of these mordent "ifl given by-the sole survivor of the crew 'of the Merva, a Fijian named Marika, who saved his lie by jumping overboard and swimming ashore to one of the islands, and who afterwards found his way back to Levuka. The statement of Marika is as follows :— . . , When we left Levuka there were only light winds, and our progress was necessarily slow. By nigbt we were off Nairai,' between tbat and Goro. I wanted the white men, to • anchor for tbc night, but they would not£as they said that we could reach Taviuni early in the morning by keeping on. I was at the tiller steering, another Fijian (Moturikiman) was at the galley, and the five white men were at tea on the deck. They had brought plenty of firearms with them, but had , left all the Weapons in tho cabin. Through the day the Solomon Islanders had two meals, each man receiving two ship biscuits. They were , to receive two more for supper, but objected, through one of their number, that it was too little— they wanted three each. They were told, through their spokesman, who understood English, that there was not enough- to serve out so many, and that in the morning they would reach land and receive plenty of food. As the white men were sitting at tea the Solomon men made their attack upon them. The murderers hod provided themselves with three axes and pieces of wood, and their first victim was Mr Warbnrton, who was approached , from behind and struck with, an axe on the back of tho neck. The work of death was then hurried on, the victims being taken ho unawares, as not to have the least show of resistance. One of them rushed to the cabjn for his weapons, but was struck down on the way. The Motnriki man had his head .split open 'with' au axe in the first moment, of- attack. The captain (Owen) jumped overboard, as he could not reach the > cabin, and' Was bard pressed. Marika seized an oar, but a Solomon roan' got hold of the other|end of it, and another attacked him with .» piece of wood, and so Marika jumped overboard too. When swimming away the captain directed Marika's attention to the cutter where the murderers were cutting up .the bodies of the slain. Now for the two commenced an arduous . struggle;, for life. Tney struck out for Angau, as what little .wind there was was blowing in that' direction, although Nairai was the nearest land. The captain found it liartl work to swim with bis clothes on, and Marika biioyed him up while he stripped himself. After swimming for a considerable time the captain told Marika that if he reached shore alive he was ■to carry Word of what had occurred to Mr Scott, the owner of the cutter, or to Messrs J. C. Smith and Co, merchants, of Levuka, for be could not swim any further. ' Marika swam towards him to shake bands and' bid farewell, bat before reaching him the' captain .sank.. Alone, and the darkness of night around him, Marika still kept on, and when the night was well nigh spent reached shore thoroughly exhausted. He said that he bad suspected the Solomon men all day, on account of their manner, for they had been so watchful of him as he was steering, observing, keenly how he put the vessel round, and how he acted when in a squall. These are the full particulars of this dreadful affair. The fifth wbitd man. Owen, wlfb was master of the cutter, will be well rein the New Zealand trade as third mate of the steamship Auckland, ami only ■a few days previous to the murder he bad -written for bis wifeto join him.