Tahiti.

New Zealander, Volume I, Issue 52, 30 May 1846, Page 3

Tahiti.

[From the Sentinel April 16.} The following intelligence was brought to Sydney by the Schooner Coqaette, which left Tahiti on the sth of February. It appears that when Sir George Seymour was at Tahiti (with H M.S. Collingwood), the chiefs of the islands of Huahine, Raiaia. and Barabora, denied that any treaty made with Queen Pomare could affect their islands which were perfectly independant, and Governor "Brnat, on the part of the French Government, pledged himself not to take any further hostile measures against the Leeward Islands while the question of their independance was pending. With 'this understanding Sir George sailed, and left at each of the Leewards instructions to the chiefs to forward to England and to France all the evidence bearing upon the question. No sooner was the Collingwood gone than all promises were thrown, ovei board. Shortly after, the Uranie frigate and a steamer anchored at Huahinej the people retired to an, encampment among the hills, distant several miles from the town. 'Captain Bourard, of the Uranie demanded of the (Queen, Aripaia, the reinstatement of three chiefs >w ho had been banished Raiatea for taking 1 part with the French 3 also, that the native* should not be prohibited from selling food and property on board the' French ships ; that Captain Riccardiahould be acknowledged as a deputy o£ the Governor ; that the Court of Justice for foreigners f-should be re-established ; that the friends of' the Trench should not be interfered with for taking their part; and that 600* dollars should be delivered to the French Governor as a guarantee' for> the observance- ot these demands. It was peieraptorily announced that if the terms should not' be 'agreed to by two o'clock next day hostilities would be commenced. This was oa the 14th of 'January last. The natives would have made almost any sacrifice to prevent bloodshed, and a deputation early next morning left the encampment to wait upon the French officer ; but before they reached: the town a hostile demonstration on the part o£ the French '.induced them <to turn back ; the French steamer had sailed round to a place behind the camp. This hostile movement was long before" two o'clock to morrow," and show* the French were not sincere in their pioclamation. All negociations seemed to have ceased for a day or two after this ) at all events none are men* tionedinthe correspondence. On thesi7th the Captain landed all his troops and burned the village of Fare, containing one hundred and twenty good houses, cut down the trees, fences, &c, and destroyed or plundered all kinds of property. 'On the ISth 400 soldiers were landed to murder the poor natives, and marched from Faate to Marva, where they came up with the natives, who, «.o save their wives and children from destruction, met the French, and fought for fortyeight hours ; the Frenph had twenty-one killed and forty-five wounded. The wounded were brought to Tahiti in the French steamer, and it was supposed nearly half of them had died since. The natives lost two. A number of • foreigner* joined the natives and fought the French. One hundred and thirty houses have been destroyed j the people lately so happy in their homes have fled to the mountains and ylens of their country, there to defend their liberties and their religion. After a conflict of forty eight hours, the patriots remained masters of the field, and the French gallantly sneaked away, leaving twenty dead on the field, and having fortyifive wounded, while the victorious natives under the command of their sovereign (an old woman upwards of sixty years of rtge) lost only -two! and it is doubtful whether these are dead <or only wounded. A band of sailors of Anglo-Saxon blood rendered good service to the natives ; they alone held the French in check 1 for many hours j thrice they were surrounded' by the French troops, and thrice cut their way: through ! losing only three oftheir number. Their gallant captain " Scotch Jack " lay for six months their prisoner in Papeite, and has a longtlist' of grievances to settle. Already has his rifle told severely. While the work of destruction was going on, an American named Harris was killed ; he had long resided upon the island, and was known as thcavowed enemy of the natives. •The Uranie still remained at Huahine ; the steamer brought up the wounded and embarked military stores and a few more troops, intended to return to Huahine j but the natives encamped on Tahiti announced their intention of attacking; Papeite, if hostilities were continued on Huahine. The steamer had therefore declined the proposed trip and was soon likely to have other work to do J she was moored at Tahiti with her guns double shotted. A French man-of-war brig sailed for the leeward on the 2nd of February,

We have received intelligence fi'om Tahiti to the 20th March, brought last night by the Mary Ann. There had been no further disturbance since the last accounts, between the natives, but the latter were determined to resist to the last. Queen Pomare bad positively refused to leave Riatea to hare a conference with Bi vat— Australian.

Dumb Eloquence — I remember a touching incident which happened at the Cape of Good Cope, when 1 was there. A party had gone out to shoot baboons. The gentleman who related the anecdote, wounded one rather severely. — Great was hit surprise, on seeing the animal thus wounded leave the rest of the troop, approach him, and lie down at his feet. Looking him full in the face, the fainting dying creature pointed at his bleeding side as much as to say— "This is your cruel work and how have I deserved it!" No language could surpass this in truth of appeal, or the moral lesson which it taught.—* Uev Dr Jones's Lecture on Oratory.