MURDER OF A MISSIONARY AT ERROMANGA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 232, 11 July 1872, Page 6

MURDER OF A MISSIONARY AT ERROMANGA.

(From the New Zealand Herald, June 13 J The Rev. Dr Steel, as agent for the New Hebrides Mission, has received intelligence by way of Tanna and Queensland, that the ! Rev. James D. Gordon, of Erromanga, had been murdered on the 25th February last. No particulars are given, and the tidings are contained in a very brief postscript to a letter from the Rev. William Watt, of Tanna, dated 14th January, to this effect :— "P.S. Poor Gordon has been murdered at Erromanga, 25th February." It is feared that the tidings may be too true ; but further intelligence may be expected by a vessel daily looked for in Sydney from Havauuah Harbor. Mr Gordon was a native of Prince Edward Island, British North America ; he was brother of the Rev. G. D. Gordon, who, along with his wife, was barbarously murderid by the natives of Erromanga in 1861. Mr Gordon has been alone on the island since the death of the Rev. James M'Nair in 1870. He was unmarried, and trusted himself unreservedly among the natives. The following notice appeared in the shipping column of the Herald on the 21st ult. — Captain Rosengren, of the Lyttona, reported to the Roclchamplon Bulletin that he arrived in Portinia Bsy, Erromanga, on 9th May. A native on board explained the circumstances connected with the murder of the Rev. Mr Gordon. He states that a native from Portinia Bay came down to the missionary station, and asked Mr Gordon to come and see his children, who were lying sick. He went, and on arrival found the children were dead. The man charged him with witchcraft, and immediately tomahawked hini. Hi 3 tribe buried the body, and immediately made war against the other tribe. The missionary's boat was lying on the beach in Cook's Bay. Captain Kosengren met and boarded the Day Spring, missionary vessel, at Tanna, on the 11th May ; she was then bound for Erromanga. Full particulars may be expected after the visit of the Day Spring.