A Polynesian Horror.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2495, 4 January 1877, Page 2

A Polynesian Horror.

From an'account of "A trip to the New Hebrides" contributed to the Fiji Times we extract the fallowing:— f On Wednesday morning*"(fehe weather looking propitious) we left /or the baokv of the island, Slack Beach and White^ Beach, the richest and most picturesque-, part of Tanna, land, ""tlmllit; JHMtf** all contribfttingito enhance^CßiiSftpleoV.;. This is the neighborhood nnirriM&i by If those gettlersr w'hopa* 4^^jearJMsßcam«,x. and took up allotmenlPhp thl^j^^^and, and in' close proximity to the po|dwbus lloss "Lewin, who they more" or less blame for their non-success, and who, <, was the last victim of his own "cupidity, making eight! (settlers); victims to the' rapacity aud ~ treachery of those people. However, Lewin was warned of hit * impending fate, being considered worthy the steel of the principal chief. He was the only one who successfully braved their defiance for a number of years, having a stone house with a stone barricade, some seven or eight feet high all round, and worked his plantation with other island labor, rendering him independent of, local assistance, tabooing, the approach of anyone on his property on pain of being shot. He was remarkably quick with his rifle, and a dead shot, not at all particular whether swine or human flesh last succumbed. He would quietly walk to where his men where at work; point out the victim to them, they would then pursue it with a war whoop, and finally prepare and despatch it after - their own fashion. Some days prior to his death, the principal chief communicated,with him informing him of his intention to kill him, which Lewin made light of. However, this threat must have made an impression ' on him, as he set about putting his house in order, arranging papers, ifeo., and giving Mrs Lewin instructions how to proceed on his demise. Things were in this stage at Lewin's while the chief was making preparations for the carrying out of his threat. Calling one of his warriors, he showed him two bullets, saying this one has to kill our common enemy; the other one, in . case of failure, will surely kill you; go forth, I give you one week to do this work, if not successful, come back to . meet your doom. He succeeded only too well, for on the second day he lay concealed behind a large tree, dodging round it, on Lewin's approach, till the latter passed through a high stone fence by •' which his premises are surrounded, when the assassin rushed up and shot his victim in the back, who, throwing up his arms, fell dead. Lewin was originally a man-of-wars man, and since in comfortable circumstances, but became embarrassed prior to his death. His wife, who was within a few days of her confinement;- and nursing a brother stricken with fever and ague (the bane of those islands), decided upon making her escape with her infant children, in her only means of transit, a small open boat, as soon as the shades of night closed in. She had her brother conveyed to the boat, fearing that means of escape would be cut off, and deftly and cautiously, . every step being pregnant with danger, wended her way to her only hope of salvation, the nearest harbor of refuge being Havannah, Sandwich, 140 miles distant. Who can picture to themselves, without commiseration, the dire misery of this poor woman as she launched forth into the lonely melancholy night, ill provided for such a journey. On the third day she was confined, exposed to the fierce rays of a burning sun; soon after which her brother succumbed, when she had to submit to the extreme mortification of witnessing his committal to the deep, without funeral dirge or ceremony. She; reached Sandwich and still survives, but as a patient in a lunatic asylum, rarely conscious, if ever, of the depth of her past miseries,