THE FIJIS.

Star (Christchurch), 1 July 1870, Page 3

THE FIJIS.

The following letter, says the_jOornwall Chronicle (Tasmania) from a gentleman well-known in the midland districts of Tasmania, has been placed at our disposal by Mr W. J. Thrower, of this town. It is dated Uladrusi, Vanua Levu, April 24: — I hare been in considerable personal danger | since last writing to Tasmania, and know not as yet how it will end. I will describe the circumstances as follows;— Tou must understand that we had working on this plantation 60 natives, whom we procured from an island 90 miles distant, and named Viti Levu. The} had been at work for abont four months, and had become so lazy and impudent that they did just as they liked. My partner and myself humoured them, and tried every means to induce them to be orderly, but without avail. I being absent one day, they robbed my partner and ill-treated him, threatening to kill him ; this not being followed up by any punishment, they grew more insolent, and shortly after my partner and I, going into their hut, to tell them to go to work, they rushed us both, and attacked us with clubs and spears ; we were quite unarmed, but I managed to knock two or three over, and then got a good stick, and we fought our way through them till we got into our houße, when I seized my gun, and gave some of the foremost a good dose of duck shot, upon the receipt of which they retired. I told them on the next day that three of the principal ringleaders must leave the plantation, or I would certainly shoot them. Things remained quiescent for about three days, when I had occasion to leave the premises for a day; when, watching their opportunity, the came natives seized my partners and made him fast, while they ransacked the dwelling house, and took off everything they could carry, and then retired to a native town about a quarter-of-a-mile distant. As soon as my partner got released he hurried to the nearest white neighbour, sent a messenger after me, and forwarded intelligence of the outrage to the different white settlers along the coast. This happened on the 21st ult. As soon-ftri-heard of the event I hurried back to my partner, and mustering a few white and ten Tanna men we advanced and retook possession of our place, which we found gutted and deserted. The next day (22nd) we communicated with the plunderers, telling them if they did not return and deliver up all the goods they had stolen, they should be severely punished; they were evidently afraid of what they bad done, and, through the medium of a native teacher, returned a large portion of our property, but fourteen guns, ' some money, and a few other things they Dositively determined to keep, saying, "if we wanted them, we must fight for them, as they were not afraid of the white men." About midnight on the 22nd the settlers began to arrive, many of them having to walk upwards of twenty miles over a bad road. ; At 3 o'clock on the morning of the t t>23rd we mustered our forces, and numbered i i%3 follows— ls whites, 9 half-castes, 10 Tanna 1 nieh, and about 30 friendly natives. After a . birief consultation, it was decided that we . sh ould at once advance upon the town, and s prevent the depredators from escaping. W« , forced into two divisions, my partner and ] ■ being appointed leaders, as being best acquaiiited with the locality. Accordingly w« , started, and as daylight broke we gave £ 1 shout and charged the town. I was one ol ■ the fin^t three to enter. We evidently sur . prised the enemy, as they were running abow I much ci?nfuaed ; they endeavoured to escapi at the tack of the town, but I perceiving their in tention, called out to my men t< » charge a\ad intercept. I led, and after run , ning thro ugh the scrub, I emerged upon th< • beach, and right into the midst of th s foe. Wh en they saw me they shouted ) and one f 'ellow turned to fire at me ;

gave a yell, shot at him, and I believe wounded him in the arm, upon this they split, some running to the right some to the left, and some taking to the sea right ahead. One big fellow, pressing to my left, armed with a gun, exchanged salutes with me, but they were both without effect. By this time the whole of our forces had come up and a perfect hail of bullets poured upon the retreating foe, several of them being wounded. A large portion of them escaped, and took refuge upon a rocky peninsula. Getting all our men together, and reloading, we extended ourselves in skirmishing order, and proceeded to sweep the land before us. It proved to be very rocky and scrubby, and before going far I loßt sight of the other whites, and had only five of the Tanna men with me. I bowever, kept steadily on, and soon heard rapid firing upon my right. Going on about one hundred yards, one of my Tanna men fired; rushing up, I found we had come upon a large cave, with fourteen or thereabouts of the enemy secreted therein. Taking up a position, I waited some time to get a shot, the Tanna men doing likewise, but it was of no use — they would not show— so advancing in the open, I called out to them to come out and fight. As soon as they heard my voice they put out the guns to surrender them, and as it was the guns I wanted, not their wretched lives, I accepted them and allowed them to escape, for I knew that if I attempted to take them prisoners my Tanna 'allies would murder every one of them; as it was, one man was dangerously wounded. After securing all the guns I found there, and waiting some little time to hear if there were any further fighting going on, I marched my troops back to tbis place. Upon arriving here I found all our forces had arrived here before me, and upon comparing notes we found that we had killed three and wounded six, and one was missing; thus ended the great battle of Na Batia. Some few hours after the engagement more whites arrived, and a further contingent of 40 of the Tanna men; this so terrified the towns where our men had taken refuge, that they made them deliver up the remainder of the guns, and things in their possession, so that we have recovered nearly everything. This is the first time white men have attempted to punish natives in this group, and the sharp lesson they have received upon this occasion win gi™ *»>«» ma better idea of our abilities. Previous to this, tne j/i--. — „, *« «- native offended, a complaint was laid before his cnier, or the Consul, when very likely the fellow would escape punishment, or get off with a few lashes. This so encouraged the natives, that they began to think white n?en were only to be tolerated to supply them with guns, cloth, knives, &c. In the meantime here, we have to keep ourselves armed* and place a watch at night, but this is only a precautionary measure, as I apprehend no real danger, for the natives of this land express no sympathy with the Viti Levu pen, but all natives of Fiji are noted for their treachery, so lamon my guard. It is time some steps were taken towards forming a government, as Fiji is going ahead too rapidly to be any longer, checked by th« evil propensities of the native population. I have filled my letter with war and bloodshed, but as the event occurred so recently, not only my mind, but the whole of Fiji is full of it.