MURDER OF MB. BENJAMIN BOYD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 57, 7 February 1852, Page 3

MURDER OF MB. BENJAMIN BOYD.

[From Bell's Life in Sydney.'] We announce with the deepest feelings of sorrow and regret the death of this well-known and enterprising gentleman, whose mercantile career in this colony commenced under the most auspicious circumstances, but was gloomy in its termination. Mr. Boyd, it will be remembered, left Sydney for San Francisco about two years since in his yacht " Wanderer." He remained in *paliforniii a considerable time, and subsequently departed from thence on a long voyage of discovery among the various islands of the Paci--ftc, New Guinea, Borneo, China, the East In- * dies, Van Diemen's Land, and New South Wales. At San Francisco he engaged Mr. Crawford to proceed with him on the voyage, and from that gentleman it has been ascertained that Mr. Boyd was murdered by one of the natives of the Solomon Islands. The following are the particulars of the melancholy event furnished by Mr. Crawford.

Mr. Boyd had already touched tit the Sandwich and other Islands, from which places he had shipped natives as seamen. He then proceeded to the Solomon Group, and purchased the Sovereignty or right of one or two of these Islands, for the object, (as Mr. Crawford says,) of establishing the head quarters of the Papuan Republic ;he hud been on shore on these islands previously, shooting birds. On the morning of the loth of October, in coasting along one of the islands, he noticed an inlet, or cove, and at half-past six left the " Wanderer" in his boat for the inlet, accompanied only by a native boy whom he had engaged at Ocean Island. He took with him his double-barrelled gun, with his belt containing wadding and shot; and he left orders to get breakfast ready, as he should return very shortly. On going over the side of the vessel he told a favourite native whom he called " Friday/ not to allow any of the natives of the island to come on board, as they were very treacherous, jwould take the vessel, and murder till hands if they had an opportunity. After Mr. Boyd left, canoes full of natives came round the " Wanderer," but they were kept off from the gang-ways. Firing was heard several times, but it was supposed that Mr. Boyd was merely procuring specimens of the birds of the Island. Nine o'clock came, but he was not seen coming off to breakfast, the large gong was therefore sounded, when the 'natives in their canoes around the vessel appeared to deride and jeer at the endeavours to signalise to those on shore, and at the same time made an indescribable fiendish hissingnoise, and said something in their language, which Mr. Boyd's native seamen translated to be "long sleep—white man dead, and would not come back." This dreadful intimation made the white and native crew of the "Wanderer" frantic. At the same moment the natives in the canoes tried their utmost to board the vessel, with their clubs, spears, and round stones in long slings; but the crew were prepared for them, and fortunately beat them off, killing about twenty-five of the cannibals at that time. None of the crew were injured by the spears hurled on deck. Some of the native crew wished to eat the bodies of those killed, to gratify thereby the utmost limit of their revenge, but they were restrained by the whites. The islanders then retreated into their canoes, and collected in groups near the beach. The long guns of the Wanderer were then loaded with round shot and grape, and discharged at them. Numbers were seen to fall and the wounded were carried away. After this the crew armed themselves and lauded, and shot some more of the cannibals, the remainder running away, and then went in search of the remains. They found only the top of the skull of the murdered native boy who accompanied Mr. Boyd, at least they felt positive from its appearance that it was his. Near this spot were the marks of Mr. Boyd's shoes, which marks were numerous on the sands, and around were the naked foot-marks of the islanders, indicating that there must have been a desperate fight before Mr. Boyd was overpowered. They saw plainly the deep impressions of his knees and elbows, where he had finally fallen, and also marks of blood. Nearly close to this spot was found the belt which con- - tamed the wadding, &c., but it had been all used. They searched in all directions for traces to prove that Mr. Boyd was no more, and they remained off the spot'for a fortnight, to he-cer-tain that there was no further hopes, going on shore daily, until their continuing with the vessel became dangerous. Mr. Crawford says

that Mr. Boyd was in most robust health at the time, and possessed great bodily strength. The sailing master of the vessel was an American. Alter they lost till doubt of the fate of their unfortunate commander, the " Wanderer" bore up for the coast of New Holland, and on Thursday, 13th inst., she made Fort Macquarie, and anchored off the bar, On the following morning a boat belonging to Messrs. Cohen and Co. put off to her, to ascertain if any communication was required with the shore. 'The crew found her in a disabled state, her mainmast and foremast both sprung above the deck, as well as the jib-boom. They reported that Mr Boyd had been killed by natives, and they expressed a wish to enter Port Macquarie in order to get her repaired, as during the night after her arrival off the bar the windlass had broken in two from the centre, and it was impossible to proceed to sea. Mr. Easton, master of the " Elizabeth Cohen," advised that on account of her draught of water she could not come in, but subsequently went off with his crew to assist. The yacht was lightened, and her anchors slipped (by reason of the loss of her windlass), iind a short board having been made, they stood in for the bar, favoured by a gentle breeze from the north-east. Just on the bar, the breeze suddenly abated, . the heel of the vessel gently struck, and a strong flood tide carried her to the south shore, where, notwithstanding every exertion, she stranded. Messrs. Cohen's bar boat was stove in, but they sent out their tug boat, and at ebb tide all the moveables that it was possible to secure were got out, and conveyed to Messrs. Cohen and Cos. stores.