THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS IN 1831.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 161, 13 October 1883, Page 11

THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS IN 1831.

AN EXCITING- NAEEATIYE

[By an Old Colonist.]

(Continued.)

We now steered for New Caledonia, ond on the sixteenth day after leaving Moreton Bay made the land about sundown, and hove-to till the morning alongside the reef. At daylight we were looking for the entrance to Port St. Vincent, and about noon discovered an opening in lat. 22*5, which we entered and beat up, bringing-to at 6 p.m. at the head of the bay in 3£ fathoms of water. As we wanted fresh water, we sent the boat . away next morning to look for it. During the absence of the boat some natives came off in canoes, but we would not allow them to come on board. After some bother with them we. thought it best, as we could not see our own boat, to fire over their heads, which drove them away, and as it was getting late, we thought it advisable for the safety of the vessel to get underweigh and stand out to sea. Having done so and beat to windward all night, bore up for the harbour again, and saw our own boat pulling towards ua. The following day one of the natives came on board, and not being allowed to get into hiscanoe, became furious, and begged, to be landed, which was done. We then manned the boat to get water, but found so large a number of native* that it was agreed to let them see the power we possessed. We were in the mouth of a creek,, and finding the natives all armed with bows and arrows, we sterned-out into deep water, but were .-. nearly cut off by the natives who followed. After t a consultation, we decided to fire upon them.. ' About 1000 men had congregated, but after a few _ discharges they ran into the bush, and we went on board again. One old chief, stood his gi'ound. behind a canoe, and as there were no others in sight, we beckoned him to come, and exchanged . r a tomahawk for his club. We fried to make him understand that we wanted watei*by dipping a pannikin into the salt water and throwing it out again after tasting it. On the following day we pulled up the creek again, when we met the old chief with two other men. Seeing more natives not far off, we told him to send them away, which, he did, and having formed a line, all armed, to the watering-place, we got three casks of water. We paid the old chief for his assistance. That night the second mate, who had. been, away in the boat on the night we went outside, told the rest of the boat's ci'ew that he would destroy any of us if he ever saw us again. When . this was reported to Evans, the chief mate, he gave the man the option of being shot or landed on the island. He preferred the latter, and was landed next morning with a bag of bread and a pistol without a hammer to it. The next day we made sail for Eotumah, four men of the eleven being accounted for. Having no chart, we had a ; long passage, being obliged to take the latitude and longitude out of the Epitome, and make asort of outline chart. The weather being rainy and thick, my position was critical. However, I told them one evening it was likely we should see the land in the morning, which most fortunately we did. My observations showed me I should not be safe much longer. They were so over-; • joyed at seeing land that I thought they would.have eaten me, the chief mate remarking that I ought to be an. admiral. He was one of the.-.: greatest villains under the sun. About 10 aim. . we anchored, and a man called Emerey, a Yankee, came on board. I was put out of sight when any . . stranger came on board. He had a conversation - : with the pirates, and some of them went ashore,; leaving two armed men to look after me.. About ... 4 p.m. a ship was seen in the offing, when tHe, b .. men on shore came on board in a great hurry to ; get underweigh and go to sea. They had seen an old convict, who warned them not to trust me, and told them that dead men tell no tales. The name of the vagabond was John Eeady. During; , the night I had taken the bearings of the ship, and ran right for her, and about 8 p.m. one of the men shouted out that the vessel was close to us. I was at the helm, and thinking it likely, that the vessel would run over ua, I thought- to escape by jumping into the water, but the man. - forward gave the alarm too soon, and we passed on. The name of the ship, I afterwards learned^ was 1 he Warrens, Captain Bliss. The pirates then told me to go to Wallis Island, and we sailed for it ; but noticing a difference in the behaviour of the men in the cabin, I thought I would miss it. I was at the helm 18 or 20 " hours out of the 24, as none of the others would ; " ■ take their share of the wort. At Eotumab. one of the men had run away, leaving six and myself.' It came on to blow from tbe N.W., and we wereobliged to heave the ship to in a terrible sea. The pirates got afraid, and asked me what was' ' to be done. I told them we should all go to thfc. devil together, but afterwards I altered the.sails, so that the ship was very easy. The pirates told - ; me I done it for the purpose, and' threatened m& ■ accordingly. I passed Wallis Island at night, and steered for Navigator Grroup, and six day».<. later we saw very high land, and shortly after- > wards saw two more islands. : By this time the provisions were running short, "" and there was no chance of getting a fresh' stocky : so the pirates decided to scuttle the vessel arid : go on shore. It appears that three of them were my friends — namely, William Hogg, Thomas Watson, and John Smith. These men, took the first opportunity to leave the vessel. When I understood that the other three, intended to-" ; scuttle her, I begged them to leave me and go on \, shore, but they said I should be miserable by myself, and it would be better for me to go* on" " ■ shore. There was a great deal of secrecy among , them, and one^ on going away, told me to saver' my life,. as they intended to go, ashore without-: me. The night previous to- sinking the vessel, syasl y.\ one of .great .anxiety to me. They ,h^d i; fftfeen, ; ; everything off , the deck . that . I* icould blends t. myself, with, : even to tjie cook's ; axe, and jf ef£ ; ■npthingbut,.j;h^e«tiller t which j |tpjk,ou#to se&ij^; i could handle it. I watched very anxiously themen in the cabin, making up my mind to be on . the alert with that weapon should I see any firearms brought out, but nothing transpired during the night. (To he continued.J