NATIVE QUARRELS IN THE GILBERT GROUP.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 2906, 16 January 1884, Page 3

NATIVE QUARRELS IN THE GILBERT GROUP.

[BT TBLKSRiPH;] .: Auckland, Jan. 14. Captain Httyward, of the Kate McGregor, which has arrived from the Line Islands, reports that tiba Julia, a vessel of Honolulu, landed on the Island of Nonouti, one of tho, Gilbert Group, 20 to 30 returned people of Apja , rod. Tarawa,, two islands north of tha|~Equator m; the tame group. Tbeie men were armed with WinChester repeating rifles, sixteen fhootors. From accounts I could obtaits these men wero constantly causing trouble both at Honelulu and on board ship, but on their first arrival on the islands they did behave themselves for' a little while. Their . ambition, however, became awakened, and knowing their power they thowed tbemtelvea m their true colors.' Ten young girls were publicly assaulted, and when two old men went to expostulate they were thot down. Then followed a tcene of butchery of the most revolting kiod.men.women ana children sharing tbe tame fate. Mother* cast their children from them, and with their husbands took to ttnill canoes, preferring to trust to tbe meroy of the element! m thete frail vettele thin to the pitileisness of these fiendt of their own race. Some natives of Nonouti bad through fear joined tbe Apia people, and inflamed, by drink and emboldened by the possession of some arms, procured either with the consent or through the negligence of a white trader, who said, on inquiry, .".Xe»,- he bad -tome ganr, but they i wore m an old store, and probably g»T*n away by hit brother-in-law." Xhe same man laid that there were eighteen killed to bit knowledge, besides tome who Oj ied m too butb and were eaten by dogs. The people .who escaped aftor thit encounter being m tmall canoes without water, -and under a tropical tun, mads their way td two other islands, where they beeeeched Timbunaka, tha King, to give them tuccor, also telling, hita that certain subject* of hi« own, who wero on -o- T»it-to- Konouti,' atoi-g with a miuionary and two white tra-iem, were m oossUnt danger of their lives, if not already butchered. The king having chartered a veuel, requested , the maater to take off hit poo pin to Nononii, The master, after some deliberation, and having received tbe King's promise that there, should be no 'bloodshed, but that Chief Caljooa iind ( his _ftd_beronft___Bboula only be disarmed, aoqutesceel, and- tiie vessel, with Timbunaka on board, arrived off Nonouti on thfc morning of December ajipV wus boarded by a canoe containing „two men. These were tnkeo on board -by th« King,-and then ectruetdd, with a msrsaije to Oalicoa to ithe ieffect thatlilnbuns.ka bad not oome to make war, but only 'to suocor hi 1 * people' and to disarm murderers and compel their eood behavior and that if they quietly laid down I their arms no harm should come to them. At 4 «.m. on the 7tb three boats- wre tent awny froio the vend, but before, a landing could br obUiined a volley waf ll red at them from the ibove, which bad the effect of killing two and wounding one. The people then landed and .requested thoio of Apia to lay down tluir •Tm». Thit demand wat not complied with tod • fight »ptoed, tbe remit being on the side of'tbe Ap^ia people : seven killed and ope wounded, ivhiltt on the other tide there Were three killer] and nine wounded. $e?enl prisoner! WOfb t»ken 'on 'ii' Tamana on 'the followiag day. Among them was ona notpriout bloodthirsty msn of a most repulsive appearancle*. GfWeson' g»v» me full 1 deiailt of the shocking tcenen en»cti«d on tile island by the returned lawrpsoplii,, and: tt»Us that if Timcionaka and h)j men,) had not come. Che live» of two ,Karope»n tradort and a milsionnry would h»T9 been t*ktb. : • -'■