MASSACRES BY NEW GUINEA NATIVES. [By Telegraph.]

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 175, 23 October 1886, Page 5 (Supplement)

MASSACRES BY NEW GUINEA NATIVES. [By Telegraph.]

Cooktowk, o^ober 14. The Java *' Bode" of 25th August gives the following particulars of the murder by New Guinea natives of the captain and three o£ the crew belonging to the steamer Koredo 5 —On the 25th July, at 9 a.m.., H.M* steamer Tromp anchored in the roadstead of Ternati to lay in a Btock of coals before proceeding further on her voyage to Mew Guinea. On the previous day, the arrival at the same port <f ths steamboat Koredo, owned by a Isew Guinea trader, with her flag flying at half-mast, be* tokened at once that something calamitous had happened. It was soon ascertained^ that a case of piracy and murder, similar' to the piracy on board the Hok Canton, had cropped up, and that foux dead and two wounded persons were on board. Fur* ther inquiry brought out the followingdetails : — The Koredo, which four times % year visits different ports on the New Guinea coast, and Carrie's on trade withthfc natives, chiefly in Geelvink's Bay and Biak, arrived at the latter place about the middle of July. The master, Holland by name* had several times leceived parties of •natives on board without any unpleasantness arising. One day, the master, desiring to go ashore, landed, and met a Papuan woman, who with loud outcries took flight from before him, she seemingly being frightened by the blue spectacles with which he sceeened his eyes fom the; dazzling sunlight. Immediately a native armed with a spear came down upon him,, but on Captain Holland asking what he, wanted the fellow lowered his spear. Ths master not deeming it advisable to stay any longer on shore, returned forthwith oa board. All was quiet, and everything wenfc. on well, until the twelfth day after that on which the master went on shore. Early that morning several prahus put off towards the Koredo with natives, who subsequently came on board. The master was sitting on the bulwarks talking with tihem as they walked about} unarmed on deck. All at once the mastery when standing up to go away for some purpose or other, was laid hold, of by one of the natives, who grasped his neck with> both hands. Two others seized both arms. A fourth native, who in the meantime had got weapons from the prahus, thrust a spear into his side with such force that it went right through the master, who was a corpse within 20 minutes. The natives rushed up the bridge, and meanwhile their number was increased by more; prahus with armed men coming alongside. The natives then fell upon the first engineer* and a native struck his head off. The same> fate befel a sailor who happened to be oa the bridge, and the stoker, too, when: hastening to his aid, was killed. The boatswain was all this while in the fore part of the steamer. He quickly graspee! his musket, and by a lucky shot killed one of the murderers, Two were so severely wounded by him that they died shortly afterwards. Their comrades, on seeing this, hastily took flight in the prahus, which happened to be handy. While all this was taking place, those natives who took no active part in the murders made use of the opportunity to carry off every portable article they could lay their hands on. They made awaj 7 with even all the engine-room fittings and gear, besides a very large sum of money which was on board. On the Sth August the Tromp, in company with the, Koredo, left for New Guinea, having or board also the boatswain, who, by his heroic conduct, secured the preservation of the vessel and the lives of the remainder of the crew.