Cruise of the Calliope.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 708, 26 January 1853, Page 2

Cruise of the Calliope.

[From (he " Empire," Dec. 20.] H.M.B. Calliope, left Port Jackson on the 22nd July last, on a cruise among tbe islands of the Pacific, which are included in the Australasian station. She first went to Norfolk Island, where she arrived on the 26th July, and found everything quiet among the prisoners who are confined there. On the 30th July she sailed for the Friendly Islands, and arrived at Tongataboo on the 9th August, having lost a man overboard the previous day, who fell from the main yard, and was devoured by

sharks before assistance could be rendered him, the vessel going 9 knots at the time. On arriving at Tongataboo, the war which has been earned on between Kin° George Tubar and a rebel chief who had obtained possession of a fort called the Bea Tarb for the last 7 years, was found to be still going on, the rebel chief being led on by the promises of the Roman Catholic priests residing with him, who promised the assistance of several French men-of-war, which were daily expected. On the first appearance of the Calliope, she was taken for one of the promised French vessels, and the king had all his forces ready to make an overwhelming attack on the Fort should it turn out to be the case. On finding that the vessel was a British frigate, he suspended the attack until he could have the opinion of the captain, who readily lent him every assistance that laid in his power to bring about the unconditional surrender of the nativeß in the rebel fort, which, after a few days' negocjation, was happily accomplished, the king having pardoned the whole of the rebels on their returning quietly to their homes. This act of clemency on the part of King George Tubar has so much endeared him to his subjects that it is not thought likely another rebellion will take place in Tonga. Things having been thus brought to a peaceable conclusion, the Calliope sailed for Vavau, the next principal island in that group, where she arrived on the 25th August, King George having accompanied her in his state canoe, followed by several others carrying back the warriors who had come from Vavau to assist the king. Festivity was the order of the day during the stay of the Calliope at Vavau, where she remained until the 2nd September, when she finally left the Friendly Island*, the natives of which are the most civilised and best disposed of any of the tribes of those islands on this station. On leaving Vavau the Calliope sailed for the Navigators, or Samoan Group of Islands, and arrived at Apia in the Island of Upolu, on the sth of September. Mr. Pritchard, the British Consul, resides here, and on his visiting the ship was saluted with seven guns. He described the island as being in a very unsettled state from the jealousy of the various chiefs, who are all afraid of one becoming more important than another, but as nothing wrong could he found against them with reference to the British subjects residing on the Island, nothing was done beyond sending them a written address exhorting them to leave off war, to cultivate their grounds, and become friends with the white men, and to carry all their complaints to the Consul, instead of taking the law into their own hands. On the 10th of September she called off the Navigators, and sailed for the Feejees, and arrived at Ovolau, an Island in the group, on the 17th September. She remained at this Island until the 23rd September, watering and during her stay received information that three of the pirates who seized the Helen, of Sydney, in November, 1849, were at a small island called Moalo, about 50 miles from Ovolau. Accordingly, the watering being complete, the vessel started for this island with a view of seizing the pirates, who, it was supposed, would make a desperate resistance. On arriving at Moalo the Calliope hoisted American colours to deceive the pirates, and then stood in and anchored inside the reef. Several natives came off the next day, from whom it was ascertained that the white men were residing on the island, having arrived there some time previously in a whale boat. Mr. Daniel Wbeppey, United States Commercial Agent, at Ovolau, who kindly volunteered his services as interpreter, accompanied the vessel to Moalo, and on the day after she anchored, went on shore for the purpose of seeing the Chief. He returned in the afternoon having seen and conversed with tha Chief, who promised to send the men off the next evening. Accordingly, at sunset, the next day, a large canoe came round the point, bringing the three white men, bound hand and foot. They were immediately passed up the side and compared with the description of the whole crew of the Helen, which was on board at the time of the piracy, when two of them were found to answer to the description of Henry Atkins, a wellknown infamous character, and John Morrison, or Johneon. The other man who gave his name as David Alexander MKenzie, was thought to agree with the description of the ringleader Williams, and was, accordingly, placed in irons, with the other two men, but, it appearing, in a day or two, that he was in reality a different peison, and in no way connected with the Helen, he was released, and brought to Sydney, as a passenger, at his own request. The harbour of Moalo is very unsafe, and the Calliope was thrown into a very dangerous position, where she was compelled to remain for some time, by the tide setting her against a coral reef, which had she touched must inevitably have accomplished her destruction. However, by the united and determined exertions of the officers and ship's company, she was rescued from her perilous position, and she immediately proceeded to Ambow, or Vuva, the residence of the Zue Vite, or King of the Feejees, where she arrived on the 30th September. She found the war was still going on between Tbakambow, the Zue Vite, and Ratoongarra, a Chief of one of the islands.

Cannibalism and the strangling of women are still carried on to a great extent in all the Feejees, although the able exertions of the Rev. Mr. Calvert and the other Wesleyan Missionaries have in some degree reduced the number of instances of these disgusting and revolting practices, only six men having been eaten and a few women strangled, during the month previous to the arrival of the Calliope. Thakanibow being tired of the war, was ready to forgive his enemy if be would only surrender unconditionally, promising not to kill ibim or eat any of his friends. On the 4th October, the Calliope left Ambow for Rewa, the residence of the rebel chief, to endeavour to bring about a reconci iation between the two chiefs. On ber arrival, the gallant capiain proceeded up the river, accompanied by several other officers of the ship, to seek an interview with the rebel chief, who was found surrounded by upwards of a thousand painted warriors, making extensive preparations for an attack upon one of the neighbouring towns which was friendly to the Zue Vite. On being told that the captain of the English man-of-war wished to speak to him, he dismissed the assembly (which had been held in the middle of the forest, under the shade of some magnificent trees), and proceeded towards the boat, which contained the Captain and Mr. Calvert, who bad kindly volunteered his services as interpreter on the occasion. Ratoongarra appeared to be a very sensible chief, and gave very good reasons for his enmity towards Zue Vite, who it appears killed his father, his mother, and three brothers, a short time previous, and afterwards roasted and eat them ; and Ratoongarru now says, that he will never rest until he has killed and eaten Tliakambow. Nothing could induce him to abandon his fiendish project and the Calliope left Rewa leaving them to carry on that detestable aud unnatural warfare as they chose. From Rewa the Calliope returned to Ovolau to water, afterwards visited Sandalwood Bay, and again returned to Ovolau for the third time. Information having been received that a vessel called the Legerdemain, had lately been wrecked on the Beveridge reef, and that it was supposed that some of the unfortunate crew had reached Savage Island from whence it was not probable the natives (who are a very savage set) would allow them to go. On the receipt of this intelligence, the Captain with that distinguished philanthrophy which distinguish.>s the British officer, immediately got under way and proceeded to Savage Island (calling at Tongataboo on the way), for the purpose of rescuing the unfortunate seamen who had fallen into the hands of the savages. She arrived at Savage Island on the loth November, and there being no anchorage, stood off and on ; several canoes came off, the natives all very eager for barter ; they came on board at once and bartered away very quietly for a little time when they commenced thieving, and two of them were sent below as piisoners. Several others soon after came alongside, havmg English shillings and American 20 dollar pieces for sale, which they readily exchanged for fish hooks and beads; their bringing these things on board decided the suspicions of the gallant Captain respecting the probabte fate of the unfortunate shipwrecked crew, and steps were taken to obtain their release should they be upon the island ; which could best be done by obtaining possession of a few of the natives and their canoes which was accordingly done with very little trouble, and th& prisoners being secured below and their canoes hoisted in, one of the captives was made to understand that we would not give up his fellow islanders unless the white men, who they admitted were on them, w c re brought off. He went away, and the ship stood out to sea for the night. The next morning she stood in again, when several canoes came off. and the natives gave us to understand that the white men should be brought off the next morning. They then wanted to come on boaid to barter, but were told that no barter would be allowed until the white men were produced, whereupon they returned to the shore, and the ship stood off again. The want of an interpreter was here severely felt, as it was necessary to find out what the prisoners were talking about. Only one man on board could talk Tongese, which is something similar to the Savage Island language, and through him, as near as could be made out, the white men had been at the island, and had gone away again. All their stories agreeing, and the vessel having been three days off the island without any appearance of the white men, who would most assuredly have been produced had they been there, considering there was a chief and 17 men

on board the Calliope, besides ftfe canoes, it was resolved to release them, which was done, after explaining to them that if they had in fact killed the white men. we should surely hear of it, and would most certainly come back and severely punish them. The Calliope left the island, the natives sticking to their original story to the last. From Savage Island the Calliope proceeded to Fortuna or Howe's Island, where news had arrived that the white men had been picked up off the Navigators some time since, so that it was lucky the humane and generous policy of the gallant Captain, in not punishing the natives without certain proof, was acted upon, or consequences might have ensued which would hereafter been sincerely repented of. From Howes Island the Calliope proceeded to Rotumah, Tanna, ««nd the Isle of Pines, at which places everything was quiet and her provisions getting [short she returned to this port, after an absence of nvejmontbs, and it is now to be hoped her giaceful presence will ornament the waters of Port Jackson for some lengthened period.