ANOTHER SOUTH SEA TRAGEDY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6488, 13 December 1881, Page 5

ANOTHER SOUTH SEA TRAGEDY.

[PXB PUI»8 AMOCIATIOIt.]

AUCKLAND, Dw. 12. A letter to Major Mtir fives the following of the muider of his brother, H. A. Hair, of the schooner Isabella, at Santo, New Hebrides, on Nov. 12 Mr Mair and the mate and four Fijians of the Isabella left the vessel that morning, lor the purpose of recruiting labourer#, and the boat was in eight mi shore bill half-past eleven o'clock, when it went behind some rooks. Here, as «ru subsequently ascertained from She survivors, two men were recruited, and a third was being arranged for, when an attack was mode. Motr was struck with a tomahawk on the right shoulder, bob immediately shot the man who wounded him. He was then struck with a tomahawk on the other shoulder, and knocked overboard out of the boat, surrounded, and killed. The mate and two Fijians were also killed. The other two Fijians were wounded, but succeeded in aeosping, and swam off to the vessel, which was at anchor four miles away. In the evening, as Mair's boat did not return to the Isabella, Captain Hawkins sent another boat in search of him, but it was fired at, and returned to the ship. Next day the boats of the Isabella, with the assistance of the craws of three vessels in the neighbourhood, went In search, and the natives again fired on them sad retreated to the hills. Upon landing, the Isabella's boat was found hauled up in the hush; and on further search bring made, the ngjjhtri remains of Mr Mair were found. Sura were now four vessels in harbour, and the crews assembled, and Captain Hawkins rend the burial service over the ramoius, which were buried in a coffin with a quantity of quicklime.