THE NEW IRELAND EXPEDITION

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2261, 16 June 1880, Page 2

THE NEW IRELAND EXPEDITION

Sufferings of the French Immigrants. AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE. The following is a narrative of one of the Chandernagorc immigrants who arrived from New Ireland at Sydney on Juno 1 ;

He states that the Chandernagorc sailed from Flessingcn on September 14, with about 100 men on board, including the crew. After a beautifully line passage, the Island of Langlan in the South Seas was reached. Here in accordance with previous arrangements, ten of the immigrants, under the command of M. Noctinger, decided to form a colony, the island being a very beautiful one, and the natives most friendly. These last attractions probably induced seven others from the ship to make their way ashore. M. Noctinger got provisions landed for three months, but this was for only ton men, and as seven more were added to the number, it is probable that by this time they are suffering from want of food, as nothing whatever has been heard of them since, and theChanderuagore was unahle to visit them again. The only food procurable on t!ic island seemed to he coeoanuts. The Chandernagorc continued her voyage, and reached Port Breton, Now Ireland, after a passage of about 100 days from Flessingcn. The immigrants separated into two detatchments under the command of Captain M’Langhlin and Commandant Do La Croix respectively, and landed at different parts of the Island. They had almost completed a road between the two settlements when news came that a more suitable place for the colony was to be found at Likiliki Bay. The captain accordingly proceeded to that place with the vessel, and as she did not return, the immigrants who had

landed at Now Ireland determined tn make tlieir wa} r tlicre. A portion of them travelled across the island, enduring great privations on account of the scarcity of food and water, and the roughness of the road, while others went by water in canoes lent them by the natives. The latter succeeded in reaching Likiliki Bay first, two days in advance of their comrades, who took four days to do the journey. The natives, as at New Ireland, were found to be most friendly, offering their assistance in building houses, fetching water. &c., and everything went on smoothly. One accident, however, occurred, which was regarded in the light of a calamity, and that was the loss of the fishing cutter, which sank alongside the Chandornagorc while being launched. After being- ashore some time a dispute arose as to who should be the commandant of the new settlement. Commandant Do La Croix claiming the post, as having been appointed to it in Europe, while a huge majority of the immigrants were in favor of Captain MiLaugdilin. At length ?d. Do La Croix told the men to decide, giving them a day to consider. The result was that Captain MlLanghlin was elected, and M. De La Croix immediately returned on board the Chandcrnagore, together with his immediate inferior officers. Up till this time onh' a small portion of the stores with which the Chandcrnagore was laden had been discharged, notwithstanding

tliat she had been lying in the anchorage about throe weeks, and the fears of the immigrants may be better imagined than described when they saw her early one morning, in full sail, going away from the island. She returned in a couple of days, but as she had lost her anchors during the recent storms which had visited the island, she could not remain, and again sailed away. That was the last the immigrants saw of her. Soon afterwards fever and ague broke out amongst the men located on the island, together with a disease which seems peculiar to he island, viz., boils about the ower parts of the legs and feet. Somoimes this was an accompaniment of over. The men worked most industriously on lauding, but at the cud of six weeks only three of thcift were capable of anything like exertion, viz., the three officers, The remainder had all been attacked with disease. To add to the horror of the situation, there was no medical man to attend to the patients, nor yet medicine of any kind whatever. There was plenty of quinine on board the Chandcrnngorc, but unfortunately none had been landed. There was one death. The others continued ill, and the hopes of the immigrants had sunk to a very low ebb when the natives said there were plenty of white people at the Duke of York’s Island, and that they ought to go there. After suffering almost unendurable hardships and making several attempts, a boat which had left Likiliki for the purpose of going to the Duke of Norfolk Island, met a trading boat half way between the two places, the master of which, after hearing the immigrants’ story, determined to visit Likiliki and see for himself. He did so, and was returning with several of the immigrants to Duke of York Island, when the trading steamer Hippie hove in sight, and they made their way to her. On arriving alongside, Captain Fergusson, of the Hippie, had the sick men taken on board —there were several sick among them —and they had their various necessities attended to. To the fever-stricken he gave quinine, and to the healthy food which they regarded as luxuries, so long had they been strangers to tea, bread, and other such edibles ; tobacco, too, was a gift that was greatly appreciated. Captain Fergusson at once decided upon visiting Likiliki, and steered his vessel for that place. Upon arrival, he found the settlement very unsettled indeed. The hospital was only occupied by one or two men, for the simple reason that all the sick were in a boat which was about to start for the Duke of York Island when the Hippie arrived, and there was a general feeling of disgust with the whole pi, ace. Captain Fergusson accordingly offered to convey everybody

who liked to go to Duke of York Island, where the sick would receive the attend tion they required. Seven only of the ■whole colony refused to leave Likiliki, the rest took ship and arrived in due course at Duke of York Island, where a temporary hospital was provided for the sick, and everything was done that could be to assuage their sufferings.