THE JUNO’S VOYAGE.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 99, 11 July 1843, Page 3

THE JUNO’S VOYAGE.

: (From the Sydney Herald.) The Juno left Juno Bay, in the island of Ware, latitude 20 deg. 28 min., longitude 166 deg. 42 min. east, fourteen miles to the southward of Fizowee. It is called Juno Bay by the natives in consequence of the Juno having been there on her former voyage, she being the first vessel that ever put in there; During her stay in the bay, Captain Banks gleaned the following intelligence from Charles-——, an English lad who had ran away from the Mumford schooner at the island Leefo, during his last, voyage. He had acquired a perfect knowledge of the native language and habits, and had been constantly with them in their travels from island to island. He stated that a party of natives from the N.W; harbour of the Isle of Pines had,; a few weeks before the arrival of the Juno, arrived at Leefo, from whom he learned the following particulars relative to the brig Star, Captain Ebrill, built at Tahiti, which vessel was entirely destroyed by the natives of the Isle of Pines (from what Captain Banks could learn, it must have occurred about a month after the brig Star left Sydney). It appears that she was lying at anchor

(the captain and crew previous to the occurrence had been on most amicable terms with the natives), the captain and crew being on shore employed cutting wood, and at a signal from Matuku, the principal chief, the natives rushed upon them and slaughtered them with their own axes, and afterwards devoured them. Matuka then sent some of his own people, together with some native missionaries of the Navigator

Islands, who, I believe, were sent a short time ago from Sydney (two of whom Captain Banks personally knew,. Noah and Daniel), to tow the vessel on shore opposite Matuku’s place; which, being accomplished, he (Matuku) ordered the natives of the Navigator Islands to be killed, which was done; he then stripped the brig of everything he fancied, and afterwards set her on fire; but, during the fire, some gunpowder which was stowed aft ignited and blew up, destroying about thirty natives who were standing on the poop. Charles also stated that he had learned

from the natives that the captain and part of the crew of the brig Martha, of Sydney, who were missed some time ago at Marree, were seized and murdered by the savages in the following, dreadful manner:— They were tied to trees, with their legs and arms extended, and their entrails taken out and roasted; they were then taken down, roasted, and devoured. As a proof of his statement he shewed me some clothes which had been given to him by the natives, and which were said by them to have belonged to the unfortunate captain of the Martha . The report of the loss of the Star, it is to be

feared, is tco well founded, from the reports of the masters of the ships Regia and Alfred, who both stated that they had seen in the place described by Charles - the stern-post of a vessel, supposed to have belonged to the unfortunate Star. The natives also informed him that the captain and crew of the Mimic, of Sydney, were all killed and eaten by the natives of the Caledonian reef. The Orwell arrived at Fizowee on the 30th of March,‘she had about twelve tons of sandal wood on board; the Regia and Alfred were both lying there; they had a few tons of sandal wood on board. The latter reported two vessels having

been at the Isle of Pines, the William the Fourth and the Marian, both of Hobart Town; neither ,had succeeded in obtaining any sandal wood; They had left word that they should proceed to the Loyalty Islands. During the Juno's stay in Juno Bay, the natives of Fizowee and Ware were constantly at war, and seldom a day passed that some of one party or the other were not killed. The first day the chief officer of the Juno, Mr. Crossly, went on shore at Fizowee, the natives had a human body roasted, which they had killed the previous night, and offered him a part to eat, and also some to take on board for the captain, and on his refusal to partake of it they seemed much incensed. .

The chief .of the island of Leefo, called Bulla, stated he was particularly anxious to have a European missionary on the island; and Captain Banks would be happy to give all the information in his power as to the situation of the harbour, customs of the natives, &c., should any missionary wish to proceed there : he feels convinced, they would be well received, and might be the means of making peace throughout the island.

Found the Isle of Pines correctly laid down, in Nofrie’s chart, but should advise all shipmasters to give the south-east point a wide berth. Observed a large island bearing N.E. by N. from the Isle of Pines, the south point of which is in latitude 21 deg. 40 min. S., the west point 168 deg. 10 min. E., the north point 21 deg. 27 min. S. This island is called Marree by the natives (the same that the crewof the Martha were murdered on) . also an island, lat. 21 deg. 21 min. S., long. 168 deg. 10 min. E., —and one in lat. 21 deg. 16 min. S., long. 168 deg. E., —also an island situated in lat. 21 deg. 24 min. S., long. 167 deg. 56 min. E., and one in lat. 21 deg. 10 min. S., long. 168 deg. 5 min. E. These islands not being laid down in any chart, Captain Banks has called them Juno's Group.— Communicated by Captain Banks.