HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 28, 21 January 1875, Page 3

HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES.

/', UMC sdHboWefi Sanctify* onjTgtfn, Lieut. Howell, which arrived .recently, is one of the vessels Iniilt for "thS fctip^ pression of theslave trade, in. the South J?ea .Islands, Her proceedings have been of a -somewhat ; eventful '■ nature. 1 She cbnimenced her cruise oh - the 2nd .July, on wliich date she cleared Sydney H^ads; proceeded to Norfolk Island, thence to Anetium and Havannah har--bor, but nothing of importance took place till reaching- Tapoua !on the 14th September in quest of water. A large number of canoes came off on the l?th, but brought no trade. The natives were friendly, and offered the crew inducement to go on shore. A watering party landed, being 1 accompanied by some .of the natives, and searched tor water, but found none. Early in the" afternoon/ when most of the crew were below, the natives commenced firing arrows at those on deck. Orders were at once given to get ready to repel the attack. A few shots were discharged, and they, dispersed, many taking to the water and deserting their canoea, twenty^ of which were destroyed, and two villages On the 20th Sept, "the" island of Santa Oruzwas being approached, and extreme caution was exercised, as the treacherous and warlike nature of its inhabitants were known. Canoes fully manned came out to meet the vessel. The largest canoe pulled astern, and made signs for a . rope to tow with the schooner. They appeared annoyed at not getting one, and become impatient. At half-past 10 a.m. anchored in fourteen fhthoms, .200 .yards from shore, and inside Carlile reef. Natives came off in great numbers, many of them bringing pigs, cocoanuts, &c, which they gave in exchange for articles of trade. Several canoes, however, were well armed, and they began to get very thich round the schooner. It was noticed that the boys were" all swimming for the shore,, and as the natives were delected uncovering their bows and arrows, it was thus surmised that they mpant mischief. . The marines got their rifles on the after-deck, taking care to keep them out of sight. The natives who thronged the gunwale" in great numbers, were becoming- noisy and in- j solent. A blank shot was. fired from the ship's gun, but had little effect in frightening them. At a quarter-past Ham. the natives opened fira.wjth poisoned arrows. Lieutenant Hqwell discharged his revolver at the leadingnative, and gave. the order to his men co commence firing, which the cre\v responded to with deadly aim. Tn an instant the natives were panic-stricken. Those on the vessels gunwale either fell or jumped into the sea, many of them dead, others wounded nnd struggling for the shore. The canoe's crew were so astonished at the effect" of rifle shots that they jumped overboard, nnd struck out for the shore. During* the short tima the engagement lasted, about thirty natives were killed j the majority escaped into the bu.«h. The S<indfly lowered the boats, and the crew spent the afternoon in destroying nil the abandoned canoes, some of which were very large, and set fire to two of the natives' villages. Iu the evening hoisted-in the boats, and kept good watch in case of another attack. On September Ist. proceeded on shore for water, taking a war rocketjn. the boat, ard fired at random to the bush. The watering party managed to get' a supply under cover of the rifles of another boat. On the 22nd watering the 1 ship'j continued, filling the casks. The bush vrtis" thick with natives, and a few shots; were fired to keep them off. Also threw a shell from the gun on deck. After the boats. had left, at a quarter past 3 p.m. saw the natives at the' ruins of thtir village. One of their number came down to the beach, and fired two arrows at the vessel. In return for this a shell was lodged in their midst, and they atonce scampered off for the bush. They were not again visible till the 23rd; \wjieri they came on to the beach, but a. 1 few, /rifle shots soon dispersed them.-;;/ •*'"«:"''