THE NEW BRITAIN MASSACRE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume I, Issue 8, 9 October 1878, Page 3

THE NEW BRITAIN MASSACRE.

FIFTY MEN AND SOME WOMEN KILLED. By the b b. Easby, wliich arrived from Sydney a few days ago, we have received full details of the New Britain massacre. The Rev. George Brown, in a letter dated June 26th, writes from Port Hunter, Duke of York group, as follows :—“ We have had a most trying and anxious time since then, and I have sad news to tell you. Sailasa, our native minister, two teachers, Peni Luvu and Livai Naboro, and the young man from Viwa (Timote), who came with Sailasa to build the canoe here,

were all murdered by the New Britain natives in April last. “*Then I have to tell you that this sad affair brought us into collision with the natives, and though that lias resulted in good, I would rather not have had the tale to tell. On April 9th, Ratu Livai arrived from Nodup, bringing the confirmation of the report we had heard. I started next day, and reached Kabakadai on tlie following one, April 11. We soon made our way to Sailasa’s house. It was very, very sad indeed to meet with the poor widows, anil-to hear their piteous cries. ’Twas little use then trying to speak any trite words of comfort, and we could only sit silent with them sharers of their sorrow. We soon heard the many horrible accounts of their death, which made our blood boil as we heard them v ,and I could

see by the compressed lips of the teachers, and tlieir significant, sullen silence, that their feelings were so deeply moved that they were no longer master of tlieir passions. The rev. gentleman then gops on to explain that he determined to organise an expedition to punish the murderers. He secured the co-oporation of a friendly chief named Bullali, who at once expressed his fixed intention of eating Talili, the ringleader of the murderers. The rev. gentleman then continues : “On Saturday, April 18th, we returned to Port Hunter, and on Tuesday, 16th, just eight days after hearing of the murder, we started again for New Britain. Our company consisted of Mr Powell, of the ketch Star of the East, Mr Turner, from the Botanical Gardens, Sydney, Mr McGrath, the teachers, and myself. A boat from Messrs Godeffroy’s station, at Port Wesley, with native crews in charge of J. Knowles, a halfcaste trader there, also accompanied us,

and Mr Blohni, from Messrs Ilernsheim, and his establishment, promised to follow us next day, which he did. At Norlup, we met with Mr Hicks, from Matupit, and consulted with Toliula and Tolitunu, our chiefs there. We decided to divide our party, and agreed that W. Hicks should take tlie leadership of one party, consisting of Messrs tWcll, Turner, McGrath, J. Knowles, t-n Fijian and four Samoan baehers, with tlie. natives from Nodup, Matupit, and Malakuna, whilst Mr Young and myself, with one Samoan teacher, should go round to the north coast, and take charge of the natives there. We all left at noon for our respective stations. Next day, Thursday, April 18, we, on the north coast, left Mr Southwell’s at Kabakadai, very early. Tlie remaining operations ‘may be briefly summed up. On arriving at Talili’s bouse, Mr Brown’s party burnt it ; then the second party came up, and tlie combined forces started for another part of the mainland, and before dawn they had reached the first range. Mr Brown then adds —“ Here they rested and waited for the dawn. All the natives had very strict orders about cannibalism, or any mutilating of the dead, and also against killing any women or children. There are no large towns, every family lives in its own little enclosure. Tne houses are not large, and in most instances are merely* small huts which can be put up in a day or two. All that were seen were burnt, and about of the murderers were killed. Amongst the number killed were two or three women, who were either killed by the natives or shot because they could not be distinguished at such t*i distance. The natives were quite unprepared for us : no traps were dug, and with the exception of a stand made by a lot of them at. noon, they could make no united resistance. They had felt themselves safe in their inland position, and were surprised and frightened at the rapidit y of our movements and the power of our weapons. Some of the stones from their slings came with very great force about the heads of some of our party, but no one was hit, and the return bullets soon convinced them that they stood no chance against a musket, and they soon cleared out. ’ Next day tlie party burned a “ few other houses and hamlets, including the town of Kora via,” but the fact is not stated as to whether or not they also burned the inhabitants. Then Mr Brown continues:— ** We started at dawn, and landed between lvaravia and Diwawon soon aftersunrise. Our party were soon on tlieir way up the Hill ; ‘Air Blohni, Mr Hicks, Mr Young, and myself taking charge of the boats and the shore party. We watched our people climbing up tlie steep sides of the coast range, and afterwards could watch tlieir progress by the smoke of the huts which they fired. Our feelings were yet excited by tlie sight, of the broken and charred hones we had recovered. We know that our people were now in the very town where the poor fellows were killed. In the evening we went to Diwawon, where Sailasa’s body was eaten, and it shared the same fate as Keravia. A woman was brought down a prisoner by Aininio, and she told us they had eaten one whole body, that of Sailasa, tlie native minister. This confirmed the opinion we held that tlie bones we got from that town had belonged to Sailasa. We reached Matupit again at 8 p.m., and next day (Wednesday) we returned home. Not a single one of our party was wounded, though Selalcte, a Samoan teacher, was once in very great danger.”* The Rev. Mr Brown, after describing all this burning and slaying, calmly points out that it was necessary to teach the natives a lesson in order to prevent them from killing any more missionaries in the future. Undoubtedly the lesson lias been a severe one.