THE CRUISE OF THE MARION KENNY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5578, 13 February 1879, Page 2

THE CRUISE OF THE MARION KENNY.

(per press agency.)

The Marion Kenny called at Port Resolution, Tamia, which had been visited by a tidal wave and earthquake. A survey was made by Lieutenant Kiohards, of the H.M. cruiser Beagle, and a fortnight after his having completed this survey another earthquake occurred, again altering the harbor. Masters of vessels must be careful in entering, especially at night time. The safest anchorage is off Mission Point, with the house open, in seven fathoms. Spoke the Mystery, W. A. Tuman, master. He reports that a man belonging to the brig Heather Bell (Darby), bound for Fiji, as having been killed on the north side of west end Aboa ; his name was James Merlin. The man was forcibly seized by the natives and eaten. At Penticost the Mystery sent a boat ashore, but as it did not return, she worked to the place where the boat was seen to land ; on nearing which the boat was seen broadside on the beach much knocked about. A little south of Mills’ the body was seen being carried up into the bush; the body was stripped and naked. The position of the place of the massacre and the seizure of the boat is north-east end of Penticost, E. by S.JS.; north-east end of Aoba, N. by E. Small double mount further east on Aoba with small sandy beach in line, a long sandy beach Captain Suman describes the natives around the boat that was captured as .being like ants round a grain of corn. The Mystery, after waiting until dark, and seeing no signs of the missing men, made sail and continued the voyage, for the double purpose of endeavoring to meet one of the “ scourers of the seas.” On the 11th of December she sailed for Aoba. On the 13th, on the north side of west end the natives do not deny that a white man was killed out of the Heather 8011. They say they are fighting a bush tribe who did the deed at the place of the Mystery mishap. The natives would not come near the boat at the next village. They warned us to be careful, as the natives of the next place—meaning where the Mystery’s boat’s crew was massacred—had lately fired at a ship’s boat on their calling, and that they had fired at a boat belonging to the Dauntless. It is reported that Chaffinch, who is a settler or trader on Aoba, was away at the time of the Mystery’s boat’s crew massacre. On his return he was informed of it, the natives making no secret of it, saying that it was their intention for some time past to seize the first boat they could get hold of, and massacre those in her for a cannibal feast. This affair was owing to no fault of those in the boat. All were sacrifled, but one of the Tanna men's bodies was cut and divided amongst the surrounding chiefs, and the names of those who perpetrated this deed are all well known to Mr. Chaffinch. These people, when threatened with a man-of-war, laugh and say they will kill them and eat them when they want another feast.