The Murder of Mr H. A. Mair.— A Horrible Sight.

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3555, 30 December 1881, Page 3

The Murder of Mr H. A. Mair.— A Horrible Sight.

The following extract from the log of tbo schooner Isabella, Capt, Hawkiua, describes the murder of Mr 11. A, Mair, Government Labour Agent, and boat's crow at Santo : On the 3rd, fresh S.E. breeze and fine weather; 7 a.m., got under weigh and sailed over to Tauva, Santo, anchored under it, to the nor'ard; boats away, no success. NoV|4tn, recruited throe labour and procured about one ton yams. stb, recruited thirteen men and two women. 6th, light east winds and fine weather; recruited this day 27 men, 7th, recruited two men ; 9th, one man; 9th, one manj 10th, thirteen men; and 11th, three men. This makes 80 recruits. Landed 13, uud on 12th, at 5.30 a.m., weighed anchor with a light breeze blowing off the land; 7 a.m., almost calm, and vessel drifting off shore ; 9.30, noticed fires—usual signal fires—on shore ; lowered only the starboard boat, as Mr Mair, Government agent, said he only required one, although it is our usual custom to send two, one as covering boat. Until noon the boat was noticed working aloag shore, when it disappeared behind some rocks. The vessel was then abont five miles away, becalmed Kid drifting to the southard. At C p.m. Captain Hawkins, seeing no signs of the boat, became anxious, so determined to send the other boat, which wa3 done. On its nearing the shore, it being now dark, the boat was turned round, to back in stern foremost, as is the custom. A volley of musketry was fired at her. The boat then returned to the vessel, arriving there at 8 p.m. ■ Captain Hawkins now became seriously anxious about the other boat, and seeing a fire some distance from the last place again despatched the remaining boat, at 9p. in., to the said firo with instrnctions to pnllalong theshore and endeavour to proem c some information from the natives as to the missing boat, but to ma.no unnecessary danger. Boats proceeded to opposite the Jirc and hailed the shore, when the fire was put out, and although the shore was repeatedly hailed, no answer was returned. At 11.30 p.m.,boat returned to ship, on which a light was kept burning all night. At 5 a.m. on the 13th, boat was sent on shore to prosecute the search after the missing boat, On tbe boat nearing .the shore, the place from which the boat was fired into last night, fire was again opened on her. Fulled along the shore to endeavour to get information of the boat and crew, met a boat from the schooner May Queen, of Queensland, who reported that two of the missing boat's crew bad that morning swam off to the May Queen, and were both severely wounded. The two boats then proceeded along the shore, landing and searching for the missing. On landing at the place where the Isabella's second beat had been fired at (twice), the missing boat was found hauled some distance into the bush; sho had been gutted, nothing in her. She was launched; natives wcro hovering about,but at a respectful distance; two oars were found in the bush on the opposite side of a small creek. The landing party then proceeded inland, leaving a man ia each boat, to keep them afloat and bo In readiness. The landing party then came to a village, which was searched, and some of the gear from the missing boat recovered. As the party only consisted of one white man and five natives, it was thought advisable not to go further into the bush, but return to the vessel and report what had been done and seen. On going down to the boats the head of Mr Mair, Government agent, was found amongst the rocks, frightfully tomahawked; it was cat off the body close up, no part of the neck being there. A stronger party was then formed, consisting of two boats from the May Queen, two from the Surprise, and one from the Mavis; this party then landed, and in a village, further in the bush than the one visited before, parts of human body were found, consisting of 2 feet 1 hand, 1 thigh, a piece of chest and the heart and the liver; these had been scaldsd and ready for cooking; the feet and band bad been cut off close to the ankles and wrist. The nniaining oars were also recovered and the boats then returned to the May Queen. It was then decided to bury the portions of the human body recovered, as well as the head of Mr Mair, -which was done at 6 p.m. All the parts were put together in a box and covered with quick-lime. The burial service was read over the remains. The two snrvivors of this niastacre who swam on board the May Queen are two halfcastes, namely, Malaki and Jimmy, both boats' crew. They state that they saw the two white men killed (Mair, Government agent, and Hampshire, mate), also the two other boats' crew (Don Duani and Amoßl, also half-castes); the boat was attacked when about to leave the beach, having recruited three men. No offence was given the natives, they appeared friendly and had brought the men down themselves. Malaki had two severe tomahawk cuts on the head, ono being on the left side penetrating the skull; the blow must fortunately have heen a slanting one; it was quite three and a half inches long, the brain was not cut; the other wound was oa the forehead between the eyes, the flesh hung on the nose. Thena wounds were sewn up by the captain of the May Queen. The other survivor, Jimmy, had a knife cut on the forehead. These two state they got overboard and swam away. The shore natives saw them swimming and gave chase, but fortunately they were able to land and aide among the rocks, so that when the moon rose they swam to another place, lan lad, and hid themselves until it should be daylight, when they again took to the water, and, with the assistance of logs of wood, swam to the May Queen. They both state positively that they caw the two white men killed, as also the two other boat's crew; that Mr Mair defended himself, shot one man with his revolver, but was |overpowered by numbers. Mr Hampshire was shot through the body and received a cut from a tomahawk in the side. He jumped overboard and endeavoured to swim away, was surrounded and hacked to pieces, as was also one of the boat's crew, Don Duani. Amosi was shot dead and fell overboard. All having been done that could be dpne, ao the natives had retired far back in the bush, it wonld have been impossible to have fiot at them. Captain Hawkins then deemed it his duty to at once return to Fiji, haviog no Government agent. ___—.