THE RESCUE OF JOHN RENTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4546, 15 October 1875, Page 3

THE RESCUE OF JOHN RENTON.

—& The Brisbane Courier has been placed in possession of the following interesting narrative of the rescue, by Mr. Slade and the crew of the schooner Bobtail Nag, of John Renton from the island of Malayta, and his life and adventures among the islanders—reported the most savage of the group : " An event of momentous interest, to at least one individual, occurred during the recent voyage of the schooner Bobtail Nag to the South Seas, for the purposes of recruiting native laborers.

" The island of Malayta, one of the Solomon group, is in length about one hundred miles from north to south, while from a ridge which runs along its extent through the centre, the ocean is plainly visible on both sides. This island at the present time bears the reputation of being dangerous recruiting ground, on account of the wildneßS of its inhabitants, and Captain Murray received an intimation from a naval officer belonging to the naval station to the effect that he would do well to avoid Malayta altogether, but on no account to think of visiting the east coast. " About three years ago a schooner anchoring off the coast, had the whole of her crew, with the exception of one man, massacred. Five or six of them were enticed on shore upon some pretence, and were immediately set upon and murdered. Those on board, becoming aware of the fate of their companions, lifted the anchor, lowered their canva3, and tried to get away ; but the natives beset them in their canoes, some of which carry forty to fifty men, and pelted them with arrows and spears, the result being that the schooner drifted on to the reef, leaving them helpless, and all were put to death save one, who was afterwards taken off by a man-of-war, he being then in a state of partial imbecility. " On Saturday, August 7, the Bobtail Nag was cruising off this coast, trading for yams, &c, with canoes which came off from shore, when it was elicited from a native that a white man was on shore at a village about ten miles distant, living in the same style as the natives. It was concluded, of course, that he was detained, and Captain Murray determined to obtain his release if possible. A present induced one of the canoes to carry a message ashore, promising to give them whatever they desired in the way of trade if they brought the white man down to speak with us. The ship stood by till morning (Sunday), and about ten o'clock the canoe brought off a piece of rough slab, bearing, in charcoal characters, a request from John Renton to be taken off this island. As the natives stated that the white man had come down to the beach, the boats were at once lowered, and Mr. Slade, the Government agent onboard, went off with them to that part of the coast indicated—some two miles distant. About two hundred natives were assembled in the vicinity, evidently awaiting the approach of the boats, and soon the white man was descried amongst them. As the boat drew nearer, two powerful natives were seen to be leading him along, without a vestige of clothing, each grasping a wrist. After a long parley at shouting distance, in which Renton acted as interpreter, they were induced to accept a number of axes, and allow him to come in the boat.

"Although he has been upwards of eight years on the island, he is only a young man, being about twenty-Beven years of age. He had served an apprenticeship to the sea, and

was able seaman when, at about eighteen years of age, he was "Bhanghaid" at San Francisco, on board the ship Reynard, of Boston, which vessel was bound to McKean's Island, for guano. " At McKean's Island four of the crew persuaded him to join them in seizing a boat, and deserting the ship. Accordingly they contrived to place a mast and sails, with some provisions and water, in the boat, and left the ship at night. At daybreak they were out of sight of both ship and land. They had no compass, and the first land they made was the Island of Malayta, about 1200 miles, in a direct line from their starting point, on the thirty-fifth day. Their stock of food and water had been exhausted ten days previously, since which they had tasted nothing except a piece of shark they had harpooned, and contrived to partly cook by making a fire in an old fryingpan out of boards broken off the boat. "The place thoy chose to land at was a 1 small island adjacent to the main island. Renton's companions had become too much enervated through despair and exhaustion to render any assistance in managing the boat, and they all died shortly after getting ashore, from the effects of sickness and privation. Their boat had been broken up by the natives, with the object of preventing their escape, as well as to possess themselves of the nails. " Renton was taken away by a chief's son to his own place on the main island, with whom he stayed till his release. He states that he was given plenty of work to do—planting yams and roots, felling timber and fencing, being sent off with canoe to trade, &c; and the willingness with which he set about such tasks as these appears to have secured him a high place in the estimation of his captor, who evidently set some store by ' his white man,' and shielded him from the rage of the other natives, who repeatedly attembted- to obtain possession of him by purchase or otherwise, that they might wreak their vengeance upon him to requite the outrages they had received at the hands of white men.

" Kenton is a native of the Orkney Islands. He appears to have received a fair education for one of his position, and possesses considerable natural intelligence, but the past eight years' seclusion from the sound of the English language has temporarily interfered with the facility of expressing ideas in his mother tongue, and frequently occasions the interpolation of a. native word unconsciously. He speaks the native language like one of themselves.

"The old chief, and his son, who had claimed the white man as his especial property, both came on board the second day after Kenton had left them, and brought presents of cocoanuts, &c, to the captain, who of course reciprocated the compliments. They are both men of superior physique, and rank as great warriors on their island, though this was the first time they had trusted themselves on board a vessel. It would seem that Kenton had become a favorite with many of the islanders ; tidings were heard of a 'great lamentation,' with real tears, when hi 3 departure became known at the village, and a number of the natives engaged themselves to come to Queensland for the sake of accompanying him ; he had evidently gained their confidence to a great extent, and they have promised to make a feast of pigs and yams if he will come back. " The villages of Malay ta, which are scattered all over the island, are separately fortified with large stones piled up like a wall, and behind these the inhabitants retire to defend themselves during their ever-recurring feuds, and withstand sieges, until compelled to capitulate, and hand over some of their number to be killed. In many instances, small islands or islets are thus turned into fortified villages, by the coast tribes, presenting from the sea the appearance of miniature forts; these in time of war are blockaded day and night by canoes until a similar result is obtained, the besiegers, meanwhile, consuming the stock of yams upon which the inhabitants relied for a year's subsistence.

"It seems that there is war continually among some two or more of these villagos, which is either waged openly or treacherously; and scarcely a week passes that more or less lives are not sacrificed, and great victories claimed in consequence. Though these natives cannot be said to worship anything, they attribute some kind of supernatural power to the bones of their ancestors. The skulls of their fathers, grandfathers, and forefathers of many generations are kept hanging from the roofs inside their houses ; and these are invoked, expostulated with, or execrated, as the occasion seems to them to demand ; and it is to propitiate these relics that the wars and murders are most frequently undertaken. " From Reuton's description, this island must be somewhat of a hornet's nest—a livelydeadly sort of place to exist in, and it is a wonder that he has so long survived its vicissitudes."