CRUISE OF H.M.S. RAVEN.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 430, 21 December 1889, Page 4

CRUISE OF H.M. S. RAVEN.

H.M.s. Raven arrived in Port Jackson on December lst,afteran absence of over seven months. During the interim she has bcon cruising among the islands, principally New Guinea. The health of the crew generally on the cruise has been good, and only one death has to be recorded— viz., that of Quarter-master Hawkins. He was accidentally drowned at Cooktown. The Raven left Sydney on April 25, and proceeded via Brisbane and Townsville to Cooktown, where she arrived on May 13. A stay of nine days was made there, I and the little ship then steamed across to New Guinea, visiting Port Moresby and Hula. At the latter place the schooner Freddy, with 40 miners on board, was fallen in with. Her captain had deserted, and the captain of the Raven placed an officer in command of her to take her on to Port Moresby. Returning to Cooktown on June 2nd the ciew of the Raven rendered excellent work in extinguishing a fire which broke out at Messrs Burns, Philp, and Cc. 's store. On June 19th the Raven again got under weigh and proceeded to New Guinea. She only touched at Dinner Island and Treasury Island, however, as orders were received to proceed to the Solomon Group and inquire into the circumstances attending recent massacres there. This information was wanted for the benefit of Captain Hand, of the Royalist, who was under orders to follow her and punish the savages. The Raven's work in the Solomon Group occupied a couple of weeks, and she then proceeded to Dinner Island, and there Captain Wyley communicated to Captain Hand the result of the mission through the Solomon Group. Returning to Cooktown on August 24th, the Raven remained at the anchorage until September Bth, when she once more bteamed away for New Guinea, visiting on this occasion Dinner Island only, and bringing away from there ten miners from Sudest, who "were sick and destitute. They were landed at Cooktown on September sth, the ship returning to Dinner Island on September 6th and completing her work there. Cooktown was again reached on the 10th, and on the 25th news came to hand of the murder of two miners by the natives of an island in western New Guinea. The Raven proceeded to Cloudy Bay to assist in the capture of the murderers, but on arrival there it was found that the steamer Merrie England with Sir Wra. Macgregor had preceded her and effected the capture, the eavages being taken on to Port Moresby for trial. The Raven once more returned to Cooktown on October 30th, and she was then delayed pending news of th© whereabouts of the Rev. Mi Savage, who was reported to have been killed. The pleasing intelligence that he was alive and well was received on November 13th, and the ship started immediately for Sydney, She anchored under Border Island through stress of weather on the 16th and spent four days ab Brisbane on the run down, and arrived in Port Jackson at 1.30 p.m. on th© Ist December. The Raven will most likely remain in port tor the Christmas holidays.