The Late Massacre in the South Seas.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3729, 7 December 1880, Page 2

The Late Massacre in the South Seas.

(Pee b.s. Botobtta at the Bluff.)

[Pbess Association.]

Sydney, November 29.

H.M. schooner Sandfly arrived this morning from the South Seas, and reports a horrible outrage on the 13th of October. The schooner anchored at Te Zanbocau, and Commander Bowen and five seamen 1 left in a whaleboat to surrey the east! coast of Florida Island, intending to be ! back on the 17th, but the 19th having passed without their return, on the 20th the schooner weighed anchor and made for the East Coast, the officer in charge sending the gig round one side and going himself round the other. On the return of the ship they found a savage there who formed one of the crew of the whaleboat, and who gave the following story:—He says when the boat left the schooner they went to the east of the island, and on Friday pulled over to the mainland in Lavinia Bay. They then want to Hazu Island, Juauled the boat up and had tea, and the men asked leave to bathe. While Carine and O'Neill went in, the savage and Patterson went along the beach with Captain Venton looking after the boat. Patterson went back for something, and about a quarter of an hour afterwards the savage heard yells, and ran back and saw a crowd of about 50 natives round, the boat, and more hurry* ing through the bush. * Returning to the captain, he shouted that the boats were attacked. The captain returned to see the truth of this, and was espied by the natives, six (of whom broke off and ran for him. He cried, "My 'God, savage, it is a case !" and darted into the bush, and the savage saw no more of him; but he subsequently learned he had eluded his pursuers by climbing a tree, and the murderers sought him in vain that night. Next morning they paddled all round the island, and, seeing him in the tree, landed and shot him twice through the body with rifles they had taken from the boat. He dropped to the earth, and then a series of nameless horrors ensued. When found the body was naked, headless, divested of the light arm, and great pieces of flesh were stripped from the back. The men who were bathing had been clubbed at once, Patterson, who was taken from behind, shared the same fate, but Bowen, who had time, seize:! the boat stretcher and fought hard for life. There is only too much reason to believe that he was then tied to a stake and tortured slowly and subsequently beheaded in revenge for the injury he had inflicted on his assailants. {The savage i? the sole survivor. It was in the scrub low down on the beach that he shrok off his pursuers, and sWam out to sea. The fugitive hoped to reach another island unnoticed, but the strong tide which was running swept him back opposite the fire where the cannibals were dancing and yelling. The clouds just then parted, and a chorus of yells showed t?>at the moonbeams had revealed him to his enemies. Two or three eanoas were manned, and put off to capture him. They were only iiiiy yards from him when a black cloud swept across the moon, and when it next cleared the fugitive saw his pursuers far off making back to their companions evidently thinking he had gone down. The next danger was from sharks, which literally Bwarm round these reefs. He landed safely at a small uninhabited island. He made a little raft and paddled ta the mainland. When half way across a dozen canoes swept down upon him, and the natives took him to their chief, who clothed him, gave him^lr hut, which he also tabooed to preserve his life. This chief decided to save him, and did so. Then when the Sandfly passed the Island on her search the look-out, saw the savage signalling, andtitie was taken off to the vessel which sailed on into .Rita Bay, right opposite where.the murders were committed. A boat's crew was sen); ashore to burn the* canoes and punish the natives, Mr Bradford being in command. He had eight men under him, who burned several canoes, but saw no natives to punish until they had pushed off to return to ship, when droves of savages sallied out from the bash and «pened fire on the boat, shooting a seaman,named Buckle through the heart, and. wounding another named Witlock in the forearm. This was on Sunday, and on the Monday following the Sandfly weighed anchor, and after a twenty-eight days passage reached Sydney.