CRUISE OF THE BISHOP'S SCHOONER SOUTHERN' CROSS.'

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 276, 30 September 1864, Page 7

CRUISE OF THE BISHOP'S SCHOONER SOUTHERN' CROSS.'

ATTACK 02*' THE. .BOATS ; CREW 'BY ', NATIVES.—" iLOSS OFTWO T.IVES. '■ The- Cross'\ left-- Auckland for the South a Islands on May 10, .calling ait Norfolk Isl; ml on the way, where she arrived on the :lftli.' and left; again- on lStli May . for Erromr.: go ; anchored; in i Dillon ■ Bay on 23rd, and toe]• in provisions,'&e.; (sent from Sydney to meet her,) whicli were kindly stored by Mr. Heniy. _■ Qiel't Errohiango .oh the following day, and and.: red in Port Paftesoni" Banks' Island, on the The day after leaving New Zealand hod a short and sharp ■ nor'-eastnS and before reaching. Norfolk Island, strong ■winds from Is. ioW„ the fine weather being with the winds in 6.W.,anjl-S.E. quarters.. - On the edge of the trwi'iesi strong; S. to E.'S.E. ■winds, with thick wc:ulier and rain. •.

•Thie iii sh three weeks in June were spent in visiting iho New Hebrides and'Banks'lslands. Tlie wejil! or generally (iiie, but'with'several in- ■ teiriiptio! s'to the trade wind, qiv one occasion for nearly fivi.days. On the 25th June left Port Patteson'foi Curtis Island, Australia; Anchored in two days lifi'tlie new port of.Santa.Cruz." On the Ist, it being Sunday,-sailed slo\yly along, heaving too occasionally off the different villages, which are here both numerous; 'and. populous, many canoes following, as many as filty at a time, iibont the vessel, all merry and good humoured.' On Monday morning, the 15th August, 13i shop Patterson proceeded as usual in his boat to visit the different Villages, where lie had : met'with a very friendly reception two years • before, the ' Southern Cross' following' along. ; shore. ' Having speit the forenoon in this'manner, they arrived.at the last. village. on the.new coast, at the, entrance to G.raciosa Bay,. where Bishop Patteson, who had already landed at two popu.lous villages,, again went on shore, wading for .some distance over the. reef uncovered at low water, the boat as usual in such .cases lying off. Not less than from 300 to '400. natives were assembled., l'u about-half au hour the Bishop returned to the "boat,' without.as yet' suspecting - any unfriendliness on the part of, the-natives. But, on the boat:attempting to : pull out-, several natives, who were swiniruinglround her,> attempted to hold aud drag.her back; while others on the reef close at hand menaced them with their bows ; and on the' men in the ' water being obliged to let go, as the boat gathered way, those on the reef eommcnecd' shooting,' and very quickly three of the crew were struck, viz.Ji. Pearce, in chest, disabled at once, Edwin Nobb, in chest, andpisher Young, through the wrist, both, however,: managed to pull till the sail was hoisted. The natives now gave - chase in their canoes, . shooting repeatedly and shouting to others who were returning from tlie schooner to cut them oil', which they endeavoured to do ; at length getting into the broeze Bishop Patteson was enabled to make sail and so reach the vessel. Is,, cause can be assigned for the above attack, all having been civil and apparently friendly up to the time of Bishop Patteson's getting into Ihe boat. The wounds of Fishier,' Young, and Edwin NobbS- appeared slight in' themselves and for a few days appeared to do'well; but in the ease of P. Young symptoms of lockjaw soon appeared, of' which' he died on the 22nd of August. He was buried at Port Patteson. Tn E. N obb's case the same symptoms did not present themselves for several tfays after, this," and were less acute. He died on the sth of September, and was buried at sea. ... . - . i£. Pierce's wouud is nearly well. sl . • Previous to this melanclioly;affair, it had been Bishop Patteson's intention visited the lieef Islands north of Santa Cruz, which had now to be given up as well as any other plans which may have been formedraiul• the return voyage immediately, commenccd.' ! ; - Arrived at Banks', Islands ..on the '26th; much retarded bj" ljgllt. iii-s? 0 'Fcrand the hull of the"'Bonnie'lijoou,' whaler, of Sydney, Capt. Francis, lying high and xtry on Kowo llcef—a dangerous reef lyiiig's.? Lava, the largest. of : the,Bauks' r lsl.ancls. Tlidy had called at. these, islands to gct ; pigs and yams previous to proceeding .to tlie .whaling ground, and were lost on this /reef: on. tha night of the otli July.. r . All hands were saved, together with most of.the pro-visions,-the boats, &c._; her whaling casks,' &c., anchors'and'' cables' are still in her: The master aiul of-tlie' crew left in one'of their boats soon , after for' Kspiritir Laiito,' sehding' up tho traded ; 'Sea 'Gull,'"iii which; the/mate 1 and four of jtiie c^e>iil^f^lj;.Tli^§c J coiiaj^afe,7fi > vo: white uieii,' 'iinctU\v6~!?6f6mon' Tshindcrs,'..w;cr§''. still living at the neighbouring, oTYtdua wh'eii the ' Southern.: .Cross,'iarrived there on August '21st. : The natives have treated them veiy kindly;"' One man, G-. Wood, came on in the ' Southern -Ci'osß-' to • New; Zealand ; ' the remainder preferred waiting- the next trader's arrival - to. 'the bffer of ti pas'sage to the nearest port of call: 1 : I Having' collected - the scholars, l &c., the ''Sonfliorir Cross ' lcft'tlie : Bahks''lslands on tlie 2(sth August for' tire 'New H ebrid'csV and having to 'w ; ptk/db\va' < against k fiery inwzp, 'did not' get' aw'aj: from the latter' till tlie 31st.' "The- 'wih'd-|.then,jbeiug 'far 'to .' .the sonth'rd,.. obliged, ,lier ; . t0,,.g0 ;a's. far'',"east. as ,173 ° JS. before any.southing, could;be ...made, and'even then .Norfolk -Island, which,' under tlie i peculiar . circumstances. Bishop>.Patteson. w»as especially desirous Jof.'visiting,. was not ii|ade," iiud oii the continuance of baffling-winds, the attempt, t'o'reach i: it" was l given "up, :; and advantage tak'eii' o'f a leading'■w ind.' 1 (itr ;; beirig' : still necessary to ,lose, no' time; iff getting to 'New Zealand) for!;lu'ckland.; * ' '' .j, / stpijmy- north-west... breeze, . ; with inueli sea'/ofi' Ac/ ; ,.Th«.' Southern .Dross,'. brings two Norfolk jslHn'ders^antLili^ aii'exceptional, scasoii. among the.idandii, as 'weather, &e. ,Y?ry little steady .trade wind. Much' hot, .close j,vwither,.by ;'vvhich;ihe; natives,, appear; t.o. have beeiYsomesvhatisuM.Tca'S.;.: The. thermometer, on boajxl occasionally-afriOO.?,: oi':9JL?;, ranging only to 87.?. ; at other.itimcs froni:S8 0 .',t0 8'!-? '■ iYximierops hadpartly failed- in- some.islands. Health-on board -was l 'good -throughout' tho .Tto^tigor—September 17-i * U. >,l '- •' • ... '' •' : ' ■