MASSAORE IN THSE SOUTH SEAS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6739, 20 September 1883, Page 3

MASSAORE IN THSE SOUTH SEAS.

o?sa United Press Association,)

Auckland, September 19;

The following telegram has been received at Brisbane from Mackay relative to the. recent terrible massacre by the nativeß of Apia;— "The schooner Lavinia loft Mackay on June 21, and reached Apia on August 25. Here she landed some return islanders. Next day, in compliance with a request by the natives, Captain Smith sent a boat ashore. The Lavinia at this time was lying half a mile off. Somn timo afterwards, hearing a shot tired, the captain immediately lent another boat noar to the Bhore, where he picked up three of the first boat's crew, who. had swum off to the ship when the attack was made. The crew at once went:to recover the first boat, in which they found the second mate, still alive but dangerously tomahawked; also the Government agent, Mr Steadman, quite dead, who had been terribly mutilated. All the living and dead were taken back to the vessel again. A second party then went ashore, whero they found one of the first boat's crew dead, and near him a trade-box empty. The murderers had evidently committed the savage deed for the sake of plunder, as they had stripped the body of the mate and Government agent of nearly everything. Captain Smith, of the Lavinia, took the dead bodies of the two whites and two islanders who were in his schooner to Havannah Harbour, where they were Juried. He subsequently gave information to be handed to an English man-of-war, after which he sailed at once, and reached Mackay on Monday last." •