NEW CALEDONIA,

West Coast Times, Issue 87, 23 December 1865, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEW CALEDONIA,

f FURTHER ENGAGEMENTS BETWEEN THE

FRENCH AND THE NATIVES.

GBEAT DESTRUCTION OF VILLAGES.

(Translated for the Daily Southern Cross.) By the last mail from Sydney we were placed in receipt of a file of the " New Caledonia Moniteur," iip to the 29th October, inclusive. The only news of interest to our readers is contained in the report of MM. Camus and Billes relative to the further proceedings _of the Gatope expedition in pursuit of the cannibal murderers of the settler Taillard and the crews of the Secret and the Queen of the Isles. We regret we have not space enough, to give at full length the official, yet interesting reports which those officers forwarded to the Governor of New Caledonia, detailing the operatipns of the forces under their respective commands ; we are compelled therefore to confine ourselves to giving a short condensation. Captain Camus declares, in the conclusion of his report, that in his attack on Paniale — the residence of Pondi Patchili, the murderer of the settler Taillard — he had carried out his instructions by burning and destroying the villages, and as completely as possible destroying the crops. The effect of their arms had also been strikingly felt by thirty or thirty-five Kanacks having.been killed or mortally wounded ; whilst such had been the persistency and vigour of the pursuit after the cannibals, that many corpses had been met with before the natives had time to collect and hide them from the sight of the French — a duty which they strictly observed in every possible instance. The troops and native allies were animated with the greatest rivalry in courageous acts, and the latter were found of great assistance in destroying and firing the plantations. The only person wounded on the side of the French was Corporal Spitz, by a ball from the enemy. Captain Billes, commanding the expedition into the interior, furnishes most interesting details of the insurmountable difficulties met with during the progress of the expeditionary force from settlement to settlement, and the opposition offered by the aborigines. In the conflagration of the village of. Poma, nineteen Kanacks of both sexes became a prey to ,the flames; and during the retirement of the troops to the camping ground. Dr. Cailcoup and five soldiers were .wounded by the heavy stones which the natives hurled from the neighboring cliffs. Upon arrival at the village of Poinane, on the

16th October, a message was despatched to the rebel chief, Poheu, for the purpose of intimating that a parley was desired. Captain Billes then addressed the natives in the following terms : — " The French have many times surprised the men of Gate and of Pemale who have already been exposed to numerous losses, and many have forfeited their lives for their cannibal propensities. Satisfied with the reprisals which have been exercised, the French again come, not to make war, but to offer peace to Gondou and to Poindi Patchili. They promise to save the lives of those two chiefs if they give themselves up,' that they may be conducted to the great chief of the whites, who alone is empowered to receive their submission. Their immediate surrender is" the only obligatory condition for the obtaining of peace." After some tergiversations, the Kanacks replied, " Gondou • and Poindi, Patchili fear that they will be killed." Captain Billes replied that they had no cause for fear; that the French never lied. A short delay again ensued, the Kanacks consulting amongst themselves, when they said, " Come and plant two flags in onr village, and our two chiefs will place themselves under the protection of those emblems." The two colors having been hoisted at the place indicated, Captain Billes said, " If the two chiefs do not come to the camp at Poihe before sundown, hostilities will.be recommenced, the villages will be reduced to cinders, and, the plantations swept away." The troops then returned to camp. In the evening the natives came towards the camp, apparently with the intention of surrendering ; but after some hesitation they retired without attempting to communicate with Capt. Billes. On the succeeding day, the troops surrounded the settlement, the movements of the troops being attentively watched by the natives,, who crowded the neighboring heights. An intimation was given to them that there was yet time for them to surrender ; but upon their negative response being received, the bugle sounded the signal " for the village to be set on fire, and the engagement commenced. The neighbouring /villages of Pehema and Poindeha ware also destroyed by fire, and chase was given to the inhabitants. The two chiefs Gondou and Poindi Patchili were noticed amongst t^e fugitives, and the former was wounded by a ball from the rifle of a solder named Girand, but he succeeded in escaping, although leaving behind traces of blood. In the attack and destruction o_f Tionbalapatou, Corporal Spitz was struck on the thigh by a ball.. The several settlements between Tionbalapatou and Poma were subsequently attacked and all the habitations burned; also the hamlets of Tiounegape, Toutapu, end Poiadeia; and all the plantations laid even with the ground. All the villages owning Gondou as chief were thus destroyed, his numerous cultivations laid waste, and more than thirty of his tribe slain; the expedition having been engaged in the work of destruction seven days. The Governor has been making a tour round the various settlements in the colony, having left Port de France in the Fulton on the 11th October, and returned on the 25th. Whilst the Fulton was at Ounda, the chief Tingghi, followed by five or six prinoipal men of^ his tribe, arrived on board and made' his submission to the Governor, promising also to obey the orders of the Commandant of the North-west district. He was forbidden to give protection or succour to the cannibals of Pounanloitche, Paquiepe, and Pouangue. At Gornene two other natives made their submission, also bringing on board with them two infants which had been found in the bush, but belonged to the rebel settlement of Paquiepe, The children were to be placed in the native schools. At Pouebo many settlers had taken up their residence. Mr Henry, an Englishman, was authorised to search for sandal wood in the north part of New Caledonia, and has definitely settled at the spot. His representative, Mr Percy, is established at about nine kilometres from the camp Oubatohe, at a point where good anchorage is found. Already provisions, materials, two horses, and 23 immigrants from the New Hebrides, have debarked there ; a workshop has been constructed, and a residence for the workmen is going up. - At Hienguene the coffee trees planted in 1863, by Mr. Guillain, are commencing to yield fruit, and the seeds will be immediately returned to the earth, with the view of further propagating the culture of this tree in the colony.