TWO CHINAMEN RESCUED AFTER A RESIDENCE OF SEVEN YEARS WITH THE BLACKS.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 199, 8 January 1866, Page 2

TWO CHINAMEN RESCUED AFTER A RESIDENCE OF SEVEN YEARS WITH THE BLACKS.

About the end of 1857 a vessel, named the St. Paul, left Hongkong bound for Sydney with 327 Chinese emigrants. She encountered fair winds till entering the Torres' Straits, when the weather became very boisterous, and ultimately the vessel struck and soon afterwards went to pieces on a reef of Rossel Island — the crew, captain, and passengers with difficulty landing on the island. This they found to be a spot luxuriating in tropical plants and fruits — banana, cocoa-nut trees, and yams in profusion met the eye in every direction ; the sea near the coast teemed with fish, and the land, apparently plentifully supplied with pigs, promised that life had not been saved from the impending watery grave to be lost by starvation. On the third day of their captivity, the captain and crew, consisting of ten men, determined to leave the island in one of the ship's boats (almost the only thing saved from the wreck), and endeavour to fall in with one of the beche-le-mer boats constantly in the Straits. Accordingly, the boat having been loaded with such provisions as the island afforded and a little water, the party left on their perilous expedition. After buffeting with the winds for a long period, and suffering agonizing privations, the party were rescued by a French schoonor seeking beche-le-mer, and carried to New Caledonia. On the fate ofthe St. Paul being reported, the French dispatched the war steamer Styx to rescue the unfortunate emigrants. But on the vessel reaching the island only one Chinaman could be found, and he told such a fearful tale of suffering and. of the treatment his countrymen had received at the hands of the savages, that the exasperated French sailors administered summary justice on the natives. The Chinamen reported that of the 317 emigrants only himself (a mere lad) and two boys were left alive ; the other boys he shiid had been bartered to some blacks, and carried away in a canoe. A search made by the vessel amongst the islands for the missing Chinamen proved fruitless, and it was therefore concluded that they had served as a choice morsel at one of the feeds of the tribes. Last August while the Blue Bell, commanded by Captain Edwards, was seeking beche-le-mer he had occasion to call at the Pirow Island — one o' the Louisade Group — for water. No sooner had he let go his anchor than a number of native canoes came alongside soliciting him to purchase fish, yams, &c. The largest canoe having disposed of its cargo turned for the shore, but had not proceeded many yards before it was noticed on board the Blue Bell that something had gone wrong with the darkies in the canoe, which was bouted and returned to the schooner. The natives on coming on board appeared^ in a great excitement, and by signs showed that they had lost something. Captain Edwards let them understand that he was willing they should search the vessel, and they soon succeeded in dragging from behind a cask a man who appeared at first sight to bejone of their tribe, and it is probable would not have attracted the Captain's notice had he not run forward, and entreated his protection, by prostrating himself and yabbering in a language which sounded like bad Chinese. When compared with the natives, his features were discovered to be different, although his skin was quite as dark. Remembering the wreck ofthe ill-fated St. Paul, Captain Edwards thought it probable this might be one of the youth's sold by the savages, and accordingly expressed to the natives his willingness to trade for their captive ; a bargain was at last struck, for two tomahawks, an empty trunk, and an old musket. The canoe then rapidly pulled for share, returning however soon afterwards with another Chinaman, of whom Captain Edwards also became purchaser. Before the Blue Beli left the women and children came to the shore and expressed by the most lively demonstrations of their grief at parting with their pet Chinamen. The Blue Bell left the rescued Chinamen at the settlement at Cape York, from whence they were taken by the Salamander, to be conveyed to Sydney. The names of the unfortunate, or rather fortunate men, areJTau-Tau tad Pa-qui. Owing to their lon< r captivity they have become exceedingly stupid, and as they are almost entirely ignorant of the Enghsh language — only tnowing a few words they have learned from the sailors — we had the greatest difficulty in gathering any account of their captivity. However, by the means of a more enlightened Celestial, we were enabled to glean a few facts which may be interesting. It appears that for a fortnight after the wreck they remained in un-disturbed possession of that portion of the island which had been the scene of their mis- ■ fortune. At the end of that time the blacks came down in over-whelming numbers, captured the Celestials, and carried them to a barren island, : which although possessing a spring of clear water,had little or no vegetation — in this prison they were supported by the blacks, who supplied them • liberally with fish, cocoanuts, sago, &c. Another tribe from a neighboring island disputing possessien of the captivss, waged war on the captors which lasted for over a week, when the acfressors were^driven back, and the Chinamen ' left to their fate. Peace having been declared, it was decided to celebrate the event with a monster feast, and for that purpose a dozen of the plumpest captives were selected, taken to a neighboring island, speared and roasted. TauTau, our informant, seemed to take particular delight in dwelling on the hideous mode in which his countrymen were prepared for the table. The victims having been selected, they were driven in a mob and speared ; the cooks then came forward and showed that thej were skilled in all the secrets of their art by disjointing the bodies in a marvellously short time ; the entrails and brain were disregarded, and the head considered the grea3test luxury, only fit to be eaten by the oldest warriors. The joints being prepared were deposited in stone overis, previously heated, and a trough formed at the bottom caught the fat which was preserved in bamboo jars, and eaten with evident gusto, as a relish on the yams. The feast ■ being- declared re<idy the men set to in a manner which showed their appreciation of tke good things provided, but the women, considered as interior, wGre not allowed to partake of such an. ambrosial feast, sat in the back ground with glistening eyes and watering mouth, watching each morsel her lord raised to his mouth. In this manner the -wretched captives were drafted away aiid eaten, till only three lads were left, whose bad ■* condition had thus far saved them. Theso three were brought to the shambles, and were abDut to be thrown, when the chief addressed his people, showing how thin the lads were, and proposing that they should act as his slaves till he had succeeded in putting more flesh on their bones. • Although reluctant to be deprived of their promised treat, the subjects s-iw the truth of the chief's remarks ; the boys' lires were spared — only to become the drudges for the tribe, and to lead a life embittered by the knowledge that when they attempted to become robust they would be consigned to butchery. After leading this wrenched existence for some time, a large price offered for two of the boys, induced the tribe to sell them, and they were accordingly carried away to a neighbouring island, leaving their fellow-captive with the original captors'. Some little time after the two had left the island they heard guns fired, and of course knew that Europeans must be in the neighborhood, but as their masters concealed them in a thick scrub they were not seen by the French, and it was not till long afterwards, when they had acquired the language, that they learned that their former mate had been rescued. It is needless to dwell on the tortures suffered by these wretched men during the long years of i their captivity. Continually being sold and resold — changed from tribe to tribe and from island to

island among cannibals— it is wonderful how their ! lives wer» preserved. The numerous spear- wounds which they carry prove that the treatment they ( received must have been very severe ; and we doubt if they had only been in the same condition while on the islands as they are now they would ! long since have satisfied the appetites of the "bloated aristocrats" ofthe Louisade Islands. With regard to New Guinea, they are unable j to give any information, a3 they were only on the ; small islands. They describe the natives as being j industrious and clever. Each island is inhabited j by a single tribe, and to prevent the population becoming too numerous, on the birth of each child a consultation is held, and if the piccanniny does not show signs of becoming a strong adult it is at pnce destroyed. Crops of yams, &c., are planted each year. Sago grows abundantly, and is used largely by the natives, being ground between two large stones to a powder. From the description, we should imagine the, 1 . tribes resemble the Maories very much. They \ live in well-constructed, commodious huts which are built in groups, and form large villages on each island. They wear no clothing, and occupy their time in fishing, collecting fruit, or hunting the wild pig, which are very numerous. In answer to our question as to whether they made no resistance to being drafted off for slaughter, they informed us they had no sticks or weapons, and therefore could not protect themselves. They saw no gold on the islands, and it is probable they would have recognised it had they seen any, for they left Hong Kong with such exaggerated ideas ofthe auriferous nature of this country, and appeared to be so well up in the mode of procuring it, that no' sooner had Captain Edwards landed them at Somerset, than they obtained spades and commenced digging in the sand for the precious metal. The power that the "almighty dollar" gains over the minds of the celestials was illustrated by Pa-gui on being brought on board the Blue Bell. No sooner did he understand that he was rescued than he became frantic to return to the island". Two of the sailors endeavoured to hold him back, but as this only made him the more excited, Captain Edwards ordered him to be released, when he immediately took to the canoe and pulled for the shore. Curiosity prompted those on board to watch his movements, when he wasseen to stoop under a certain tree and commence scraping with his hands ; soon afterwards he returned triumphantly on board , and expressed his willingness to proceed, and in his hands were found three British sovereigns and two, dollars ! which he had buried when first landed on the island, and for which he was willing to risk his liberty. — Queensland Paper.