THE NEW COLONY AT NEW IRELAND.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 146, 24 July 1880, Page 2

THE NEW COLONY AT NEW IRELAND.

J We lmve at last some information reigarding the " progress " of the new *nt- ! llemeot on New Ireland, which has been founded under the auspices of the Marquis ,do Rays: and it must be acknowledged that the narrative we publish below does not exhibit quito the rosy complexion which the previous reports have borne. Bv the schooner Avooa, which came into port lust night from a cruise in tho Solomon Islands, one of the New Ireland colonists has come to Sidney; ami, in addition to the information he brings, we are in receipt of a letter from Captain Ferguson, a well-known trader to the Islands of the Pacific, which wo give below.

The passenger in question, who belonged ito the party sent nut by the Marquis de Rays, in the Chandornngoro, is an intelligent young German, named Wilhelm Schniitz. He states that the Chandernagore sailed from Flessingcn on the 14th September last, with about 10Q meu on hoard, including the crew; and after a beautifully fine passage, the island of Lanolin, in the South Seas, was reached. ,Herc, in accordance with previous arTangoineut, ten of the immigrants, under tho command of M. Nootinger, decided to form a colony, the island being a beautiful one and the natives most friendly. These last attractions, probably, induced seven others to make their way ashore. M." Noetinger got. provisions lauded for three months, but this was only for ton men; and, as seven more wore added to their number, it is probable that by this time they are suffering from want of food, as nothing whatever has been heard of them nince, and the Chnndernagore was unable to visit them again. The only food procurable on tho island seemed to be cocoannts.

The Chaudernagore then continue) her voyage, ami reached Port Breton, New Ireland, after * passage of 100 days from Flessingcn. The settlors separated into two detachments, under the command of Captain M'Laughiin and Commandant du la Croix respectively, ami landed in different parts of the island. They had almost completed a road between the two settlements, when news came that a more suitatile place for the colony was to he found at Likiliki Bay. Captain Scykens accordingly proceeded to that plaeo with the vessel, and as she did not return, the emigrants who had landed at New Ireland determined to make their way there. A portion of them travelled across the island, enduring great privations on account of the scarcity of food ami \v:it"r, anil the roughness of tlio road; while the others won! by water in the canoes lent them hy the natives. The latter succeeded in reaching Likiliki Day first, two days in advance of their comrades, who !o"k four days to do thn journey. The natives, as at New Ireland, wore found to he most friendly, offering them assistance in building houses, fetching water, etc., and everything went on smoothly. One occideur, however, occurred, which was regarded in the light of a calamity and that wa» the loss of a fishing cutter which sunk alongside the Chaudernagore, while being launched. After haing ashore some time, a dispute arose as to who should he com-, inamlant of the new settlement. Commandant de la Croix claiming the post a« having boon appointed to it in Kurnpe, while a large majority of the immigrant* were in favour of Captain M'Laugblin having it. At. length M. de la Croix told the men to decide, giving them a day to consider. The result was. that Captain M'Laughiin was elected, and M. do la Croix immediately returned on hoard the Chaudernagore, together with his immediate inferior oflieors. Up till this time only a small portion of the stores with which the. Chandernagoro wiu* laden had boon discharged, notwithstandingthat shehad b:en lyiugintheanchorage about throe weeks; anil the fears of th* 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 duringstorms which had visited the island, she could not remain, and again sailed away. That was the last the immigrant* saw of her. Soon afterwards fever and ague broke nut amongst tho men located on the island, together with a disease thai scorns peculiar to the island, viz., boils about tho lower parts of tho logs and feet. Sometimes this was an accompaniment cf fever, sometimes not. The men worked most industriously on landing; hut at the end of six weeks only three of them woro capable of anything like oxortion, viz., tho three officers; the remainder had all been attacked with disease. To add to tho horrors of tho time thero was no medical man to attend to tho pationts; nor yet medicine of any kind whatever. There was plenty of quinino on board tho Chaudernagore, hut, unfortunately, none had boon landed. Thero was ono death. The others continued ill, and tho hopes of the immigrants had sunk to a very low ebb, when tho natives said that thero were plonty of whito pcoplo at the Duke of York Island,and that thoy ought to go Ihore. After suffering almost unendurable hardships, and making soveral attempts, a boat, which hud left Likiliki for the purposo of going to tho Duke of York Island, mot a trading boat about half-way between tho 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 auroral of tho immigrants to tho Duke of York Island, whun tho trading steamer Ripple novo in sight, and tltry made their way to her. On arriving

alongside, Captain Fergussou, of the Ripple, immediately had tke'meu takrn on board (there were several iick among them), and had their various necessities attended to. To the fever-stricken he gave quinine, md to the healthy food, which they rejarded ns luxuries, so long had they been •trsmgers to tea, bread, and other sucl( tdibles. Tobacco, too, was a gift that was greatly appreciated. Ouptuin- Fergusson at once decided upon visiting Likiliki, and headed his veisel tor there. Upon arrival, he found the settlement very unsettled indeed. The hospital or shell wan certainly only oecupied by one or two men, for the simple reason- that those fluttering most acutely wer« in a boat which was about to start for the Duke of York Island, when the Ripple arrived ; and there wan a general feeling of disgust with the whole pUee. Captaiu Fergusson accordingly ollered to convey I everybody who liked to go to Duke of York Ilia d, where the sick would receive the attention they required. Seven only of the whole colony refused to leave ' Likiliki. The rest took whip, aud arrived I in due course at the Duke fit York Island, where a temporary hospital was provided' for tho sick, and eveything was done that, could be to assuage their suffering*. It will thus be seen that the colonizing expedition of the Marquis de Kays has met with a serious disaster at the outsetIt was to be expected that difficulties would be encountered in the formation of a colony in such a place as New Ireland ; but it was not unreasonable to suppose that the difficulties would bn of Bitch ; a nature as to be ennquerable. Whether the Marquis will succeed in his colonizing efforts remains to be seen. !

To Captain Fergusson, an old trader amongst the Islands, we are indebted for the particulars we publish below. Osptain Alexander M. Fergusson is wellknown in shipping circles here ns the Island trading representative of the firm of Messrs. Cowlishaw, Brothers, of this city. During a long career in tho Solomon Islands he has played a conspicuous pait in the rescue of shipwrecked crews and other distressed persons in these islands. Some years ago he picket) 119 a shipwrecked orew and took the» to Brisbane, and the Government of that colony recouped him for his loss of time. He has saved other cifws that hftve been cast away on savage islar>ls. avjli latterly he rescued the crows of trivial spue- Mleteor and schooner Trelevan Family, and turned one of his vessels out of her course So enable the Meteor's err* Jo nwah Sydney, as his provisions were noli txjwvl' *> l;»eping the castaways. He took the Kev. George Brown and a number of native teachers to, New Britain. They were in the John Wesley when she was dismasted; and it, singularly enough, happened that he trammed at N,*w. Smmurl in, tuna to be of great, sewiio \i- ta* {"miudbriiignre suflferers. The following is Captaiu i:'ergiissons statement to us:— '*-On tho 30th March three Germans arrivi.'-ii at the Dnkn of York Islam'., and repoiSed to. the Hit vs.. li 2i*;wn< mid B. Dovtks, the WesleyH* missionaries *<&- tiixed there, that lifty French and Cowman sqojeots \ww* at Likiliki, S.lv ♦lui-Ncw Ireland,.in. a condition of great slitofss. Fever and ague and dysentery had; set inland there were n« medicines, audi U:» .vitfijly of food, >«is limited and not of goodi aualifrr.. "On receiving thisi mfonuaiion the missionaries at once started in their whalolwmt to render assista-nee. After having pulled: jfirty miles they fell in with, the ftonmer Ripple. Captain Ferguefcon consented to go the rest of the disjnn.ee •K.ii'a: them. <>n ai'iiival at Likiliki it wan. found thai the-condition of the men wan, really deplorable, more than thirty of them, having terribly large ulcers on their feet acd togs, the stench from which, v*a» aidbe«rat.}e. They had no dressing on. these large wounds but green leaves. " Captaiu, M'lfliigliJH, an American gentleman in charge of the colony, thou came forward, and made a statement that he was the captain of theChandernagore; that vessel left the anchorage during the night of the '2oth February without, notice or warning of any sort, aud before the provisions and medicines had been landed ill a sufficient qjiaatity for the time the vossel had remained away. He then reuestod that Ik; should be smgfiied with medicines for his men. Measja. Brown and Danks pointed out tlw- malarious nature of tho district they hail l settled on; and while willing to givo tho medicine required, at tho same time kindly ollered to. tend the sick if they could be removed to the York Island, which placo possesses a more salubrious cli/sate-.aud in addition to having medicines and attention they would be sheltered in good houses. The services of the steamer Itipplo having been secured to take the men to the Duke of York, forty-live of the colouists immediately embarked and were duly landed at their destitution. " The missionaries deserve great credit for rendering these people such prompt assistance, as death hod already made an inroad upon them—one man had died before their arrival at Likiliki, and another died the day they landed at the Duko of York. The journey undertaken by them in an open boat in the heart of the hurricane sooson, ft distance of 160 miles, could not bo expected to be performed without some saoriSee. In this case Mr. Brown brought on a very sovere attack of elephantiasis, nor does those gentlemen's task end hero. It is a matter of speculation how many months will elapse More any vossel arrives to tollove them of their s'orious ehargo." Tho latest advices we have rcgiudlngtho mortality from fover and ogue among the settlers of tho infant colony of New

j Ireland report tho number of. deaths m four. The fltrt deujh «M' that of «. German rained Broitenlmek, who die 4 ut LikiliU Buy. A few day« aubeeqiient to bis deatli another 'Gerinan'ilUli. The Uher two death* took 'place, just after ■ 'aptain Fergusson'had landed'tlieni at he Duke of York Inland. All fo«V of ihf unfortunate settlers suffered jdpst painful dentin, and our informant, Willi el in Schtnitz, who also had a severe attack of the malady, fear* that tre *ball hear of many more deaths when we receive the next tidings from the new settlement.

11.M.5. Conflict, 1 gnu, LieutenautCommander J, H. Bower, which wa* sent out by Commodore Wilson to keep an eye on the movements of the aettleinmit, was spoken in the Solomon Islands, and was informed by the captain of the steamship Hippie of the actual state of affairs. The Conflict sailed for the Duke of York Island, and would probably teach there about the middle of May. Vt't ought noon to hear tiding* of her from Cooktown.

The Rev. 15. Chapman has kindly sapplied us with a few further particulars in reference to tho colonization scheme at New Ireland which he ha* received in a. letter from th* Rev. George Brown. The letter wan dated from Gower Harbour, New Ireland, Ist April. Mr. Brown states that one of tm? native teacher* had arrived-at Duke of York Island, from New Ireland, bringing with him threo Frenchmen (suit Germans, as reported), who reported tie arrival of the colonization expedition at Port Praslin some few weeks previously. There wereabout fifty men, mu)« aM' of whom went ill with fever and in a very destituteooHditioii. The Rev. George Brown at owueordered hii boat to be got ready aud deteiuiiiiiedito.go.at owe and ascertain what were the teat facta of tbifcase. Though Pl»'t Prailin » about sixty miles, tsouu Port Hunter, aired" She Esv.. iSV;. Stoiwji. was rictf irk very good health for undertaking such a journey, involving, as its .was likely to do, a good deal of boating, he ataaSed in his whaleboat in about an .hour- aXtw asoeiving the news, It apiptaand. th&t the Chamfer.nagor*- arrixetlat Port Prailin, (in January • WHfcj and! afterwards went round ft> a bay n*ar ■(Jttpe Bongejnville about tit* Ist of February. The party was landed, and the Ghandeanagoie- left tiienii. without uoiiee; iou ttr*3- '.il>th, February, leaving some stores-, btit mj. medicines. Sickness »ooii .broke out; .vne man. hud died, six others;leffctihe island by stealth, in a boat on the' '2oth February,and they have- not sinewbeen .heard of unless a report be true that they, had landed, at Mi-oko. Towards the middle of March nearly the w-hnlirof the' party were sick. with. fev*r'amMiad sores. and in this deplorable-condition Mri Brown.' - nud-. his-party fouud them. Just befere' ■ reaching the island on which the party .were landed from the Chander. .as/ore, Mr. ■•Brnw.n.fell, in-with a party of three men '-whn.kifedilefb in a small canoe, preferring 1 to risk, she- Long voyage and- the danger from jiatjv.es-c.rt th* way rather than remain any. longer there. On visiting the party at the settlement the men entreated tii be taken away, and. they signed a petition tagging Sir. Brown not to leave them there, and to have them taken, where proper food aud medicines could he obtained. Ceptniii* Fergu*son aa.t M'l.augh'.in this matter, and the party were transhiped at once on board the steamer Ripple, and they were all teken on to Port. Hunter, It was piteous, ths Ib-v. Mr. llwan states, to seethe eager w»y in which tit* poor fellows 'almost rushed th« boats, so afraid were they that they should be left behind. Another of the party died after lieing transhipped on board the Ripple. There were foity-oueof tho party in all at Duke of York Island.—Sydney Mail.