THE LATEST SOUTH SEA MASSACRE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2499, 24 March 1881, Page 4

THE LATEST SOUTH SEA MASSACRE.

Among the traders massacred recently at the Solomon Islands are M'lntosh, of the Esperanza ; Fergusson, of the Hippie ; Murray, of the Loeha ; and also the captains of the Borealis and* Zephyr ; lastly, Schwartz, of the Leslie, besides the crews of nearly all these vessels. Schwartz had only made three voyages. The Leslie in her last trip sailed from Sydney on Jan. 19, sighted Eemmel Island on Feb. 1, coasted along San Christoval, and obtained four and a-half tons copra from the native traders, and also obtained five natives. She also made purchases on the Guadalcanar coast. On Feb. 5, a number of canoes coming out, she went to Thousand Ship Bay, where she traded for copra and beche-de-mer,and watered the ship. Her next destination was Cape Marsh, a well-known place of callg where she anchored about 100 yards off the shore. The chief came off, and when asked for copra in return for trade which had been given to him, he said he had none, and that he had lost the trade given. Schwartz then had the boat lowered and manned by six black boys, two of whom could speak broken English, and he left in her, telling those on board he would endeavor to recover some of the trade and bring back some fish. The crew in the meantime were occupied in shifting sails. At five o’clock in the evening they saw the boat returning without the captain and only five black boys. The natives were then observed mustering strongly on shore and engaged in hostile demonstrations, firing guns at the schooner. Several shots passed over the crew, who got their arms and returned the fire. The Natives dispersed. The vessel was then under way, and was towed by boats, it being calm. The firing . continued until half-past eight o'clock, when the schooner got clear off. The boat’s crew had a very narrow escape. The boat pushed off only in time, as one of the savages plunged into the sea to grasp the steering oar, but was disappointed. They then manned the canoe and chased the boat to the schooner. One rifle-shot was fired at the boat, but the pursuers fell back when the captain’s boy presented an unloaded gun at them. Cape Marsh had been frequently visited by Captain Schwartz, and no difficulty with the Natives had taken place previously. As before stated, the boat’s crew were unable to recover the body of the murdered man. It was last seen in the hands of the Natives, who placed it in a canoe and rowed away across an inlet.