NEW GUINEA MASSACRES.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 84, 10 May 1879, Page 2

NEW GUINEA MASSACRES.

• (From the S. M. Herald.) Captain Turpie, of the mission ship John Williams, writes as follow* : Mr. Shaw's letter, in to-day's issue of the Herald calls attention to matters in connection with New Guinea, which at present are causing not a little surprise and anxiety to those who ate interested in the welfare of such as are at present in or who may go to that island. That within 1300 miles of our port a nest of pirates, landed from a vessel soiling from these colonies, who after killing those in command of them, should be permitted to carry on their lawless proceedings—murdering boat's crews, and committing outrages upon the natives of the adjaeeut islands, whieh, if committed in a civilized land would meet with speedy and bloody retribution, seems incredible, but it is too true.

I hail the pleasure of Mr. Ingham's company on board my ship nl Xeiv Guinea, a few clay's previous to hid death, and was very much surprised a short time since, when in conversation with Commodore Wilson, to learn from him that some one had—as Mr. Shaw states —Bppken of Mr. Ingham as having provoked the attack. I told Commodore 1 Wilson, I could not believe it to be true, and, at his request, gave in writing some particulars which are in accord with Mr. Shaw's letter. The Commodore -seemed pleased to get this, and when I mentioned that Mr. Ingham's brother had called on me in Sydney expressed sui prise that he had not called upon himself. Recent intelligence from New Guinea states that a very hostile foiling exists all along the south coast of New Guinea towards foreigners. This is not surprising to those who know something of what is occasionally taking place on that coast. Would the deliberate shooting and burying in the sand of the native of Hula some few months since by our countrymen be likely to foster a friendly feeling towards foreigners 'i I trow not Would the outrages committed by one or two of our countrymen at Port Moresby on the natives tend to increase their friendship between them and us. I am not at all disposed to paint the New Guinea natives as lambs—oh I no. But though savages, they are reasoning animals ; and it does not require a very great amount of intelligence to understand that these same pirates referred to were conveyed to their shores by white men, and that with the aid of white men's guns they have committed outrages upon the natives which would not be borne for a day by civilised men. No man is justified in taking the life of another unless that other has forfeited his life by attempting or accomplishing a murder. It is a difhoult thing to decide when among savages how long to forbear, but I aw safe 'to assert that no one should go among such people without being extremely careful uot to give offence; and they must, if they wish to avoid trouble, be slow to take offence. The teachers and missionaries have difficulties enough to contend with without additional ones being created by our own countrymen. Neither is it worldly wisdom to thus impede the progress of their work. It is an indisputable fact that thr>ughout the Smith Pacific commerce has followed rapidly in tho wake of missionary work. By creating whnts amongst the people, the missionary opens up a source of traffic which the trader, not the missionary, profits by. I write from experience of these people. A more energetic race of savages I have seldom seen.

The Rov. J. Chalmers, the well-known missionary, given tii"hht>j .inc.i account 01 tho Cloudy iiuy tuuidei*:—

On our return to the east of Naw I Guinea we called ia Oraagerie Bay,! where we found Mareare and his wife were dead, and heard that the Isujsu teachers were dead— that all bad beeu poisoned. The ohief people of Dufaure were very much afraid, and when they saw the steamer went off to the bush. The teacher came on board, and after spending a short time with us returned to the shore and sent word to the natives to return and meet me, assuring them we should not kill them. The nest morning we went ashore ; all were assembled and verv Bnxious to give us eoiupensatioH. i got the following from the teacher Jakoba: They were getting on well, had finished their house, cookhouse, and plantation when suddenly Mareore's wife took ill, lingnring on for some time. On the 20th January Mareare was seized with illness ; he become perfectly rigid, "just like a piti-e of wood," never spoke, and on the morning of the 22ud died, his wife dying a very few minutes after him. The following day tbey were both buried. After the burial, Meandi, the chief, came to Jakoba and told him to keep carefully indoors all his pans, kettles, and buckets and never again leave them outside, and to be careful as to what he eat and drunk. He then told him he and his people were going to Auiau (Ellcngowan Bay) to kill Nauagere, as he had just found out that he had been to Dufaure, and that it was he who poisoned Mareare and his wife. He said he was very much afraid of Tamate's return, and he felt sure if he could show the head of the prisoner it would be all right. Jakoba persuaded him to remain and leave Nauagere in the meantime.

Nauagere is a sorcerer employed by the people, and paid for what he does; but, not confiding in his magic power alone, he makes sure of his victims by poisoning.

We proceeded on our voyage, taking Jakoba and his wife with us, and called at Isuisu, Lawes Bay. On going ashore we found the natives very shy, keeping well baek from the beach and near their houses we saw they had their arms all ready on the platforms. They denied the poisoning of the teachers, saying " they had just died." At Dufaure we were told that they had all lieen poisoned in order that the natives might get their hoop-iron, tomahawks, red cloth, and bends. They were very anxious to make friends with us, and give compensation for the deaths. The house so recently put up was standing with nothing in it, aud in front were three graves. A native of South Cape, who was at Isuisu at fietime, buried the d'nd, and surrounded their graves with a fence. They told us the teacher (Toakainga) from South Cape had beeu there, ond that he got the child and things, and that there was another grave round the point. "We went round the point in our lioat, and after landing had to call several limes before the old chief would leave his house. He says when he heard that tlreo had died he went round and fetched the woman, still alive, and the child, whose parents were both dead, away, and got them into his house with some of the things belonging to the teachers. The woman soon died, and the child was at South Cape. A large box was delivered to us; it had been broken open and nothing left in it but a few old clothes. When we were leaving, the chief and people begged of me to return in our boat and they would give compensation.

We went into Farm Bay, where one woman had fever very bad and the others suffering a good deal. At Dufaure we were informed they had all gone to South Cape, and that the woman had died. Seeing no sign of touchers about, we went on to South Cape, and there got more information concerning the Isuisu teachers. On the 17th December, we called on them on our way down to Kerepunu. The two men were complaining a little then. The following week all were dead men and women. When Toakainga heard of three being dead, he proceeded in the boat to Isuisu, and was just in time to see the fourth die, the woman taken by the chief to his house. The boxes had all been broken open and the hoop-iron, tomahawks and tools, beads aud red cloth, all gone. The child was very ill, lying naked in the chiefs house; be wrapped her in a blanket, and after burying the poor woman he returned to South Cape, calling in Farm Bay and taking all the teachers away. The child is a little better than when the teacher got her at Isuisu. She is about three years old.

The South Cape people said very little to me on my arrival about the deaths until the Sabbath, when, after speaking to them of the deaths of the teachers and the hojie those have who receive Christ, one turned suddenly round and asked me, " What are you going to do about those who died at Isuisu f " What can I do? they were sick and died." "No, they were killed; and Nauageru. of Auiau, did it." " How was it done f" " The diuidinu were not very well, and be pot Srison in their food and drinking water.! e lived at Boneava " (inland village) " during the day and came to Isuisu at night." Then, turning to a lad olose by, ho told him to go out and fetch in the plant used. When the boy returned he had with him the roots and leave* of a plant wed by th - natives iu tinning. A little of it is put on the end of a long stick, which is thrust under a stone, ami if Ash are there thoy noon come up dead. They got u coooauut shell with a little water, anil protned a little sap from a piooe of the tout into it, which soon die." "Come they said, " take the boat aud lot us go j dow an I tike Nuuogoro; we should like . to cut him."

Toakainga tells me that on his return from Isuisu with the child an old man here, who has been very friendly with us from the beginning, waned him against taking medicine of any kind from the natives, and to look well after himself. At the Deocadie, Dinner Island, and Trste they gave the same story as to the poisoning, and that Nanagere, a professional prisoner, was employed by the people of Isuisu, so that they might get the teachers' property. It was difficult at first for me to believe that any of them was poisoned; but from all I have learnt along the coast there is now no doubt whatever in my mind

The same gentleman writes as under respecting the recent deaths in New Guinea :

Two gentleman from Sydney came to New Guinea, accompanied b) a workman, in quest of cedar. The vessel they had chartered returned to Sydne, leaving them at South Cape. Irons, one of partners, determined to visit Cloudy Cay, and would'listen to no one as to the madness of the undertaking. So, assisted bv Willis, their workman, the boat left \>y the vessel was got ready. Seeing Irons and Willis determined to go down the coast in a small open boat, and as we were going the same way in the Ellengowan, we offered to tow them down to Sandbank Bay. They gladly accepted our offer and on Tuesday, the 17th December, we left South Cape. On Thursday, the 19th December, at 2 p.m., when off the sandpoint between Cloudy Bay and Sandbank Bay, they dropped the towline and sailed in with a fair wind to the point. We proceeded on our voyage, anxious to get to Kerepunu because of the number of teachers and their wives we lal on board.

•On Monday, the 23rd December, we heard from natives of Kerepunu and lleokaro that two men were murdered up the coast, and on making inquiry inquiry found that it could bo no others than those would we left.

I was at Keppel Point lately, and there I heard the following particulars —The boat got ashoit; one man was very sick (Willis was sick when they left us), and lay down on the beach. The natives of Mutnpo, a village on the mainland opposite Eugenie Island, came along, saw him lying there, and unable to help himself, being unarmed they speared him. They saw another (Irons) walking about in the bush ; they rushed on him, caught him by the hair of the head, clubbed him, aud cut his head off. They left the bodies on the beach, broke the guns, took all in the shape of iron, and left the boat with provisions. Meeting Captain Webb at Port Moresby, on his way to Dontance, and learning from him he was going further east shortly I askep him to call in Sandbank and Cloudy bays and make inquiries. In passing the Kl logo wan on our our way to South Cape last week we intended calling, but when land was made out in the morning we were a long way to the eastward and ehe teachers being so long uii visited we decided to go on, and, if possible, call in on dur way back to Kerepunu. We met Captain Webb the other day. He told us that on his arrival at (.Jon tance he sent off an armed boat in charge of Mr. Hastings, his station-master, instructing him to examine all round the two bays. Near .to the Sandy Point they saw a piece of the boat and an old shoe lyby the stump of a tree, and near to were marks a* if a. struggle had taken place. They sailed along the coast inside of Eugenie and close by Mulapo. When the natives saw them they came rushing along the beach with their shields and arms, aud a number came into the sea near to where the boat was, as if to get at the boat. To keep them off they were fired upon, and a'tcr some little time they disappeared. The boat went round Cloudy Bay to Dedele on Colombier Point. Hastings traded with the natives, buying pigs kind food from them. The natives ware altogether too friendly, and to any one ac--quointed with them it was evident mischief was meant. They tried to get the boats crows ashore, gave Hastings presents, showed him a piece of pone, and invited him ashore to a feast, hut none were tempted* They anchored off that night. The following morning part of the crew went ashore to cook breakfast shortly Hastings saw armed men sneaking about in the hush, and others assembling at the village. He called on his men to hurry on board, and to come backwards to the boat, so as to keep the natives in front The natives tried to out off their retreat but failed. After getting on board all soon had their arms. That the natives determined to take the boat is certain; but Hastings and his men were too much for them. Several were •hot.

The ease with which the Mulapo natives got hoop-iron, tomahawks, and knives by murdering Irons and Willis Ittake* the other villagers desirous of doing Ifhe same.