PACIFIC ISLANDS SLAVE TRADE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1194, 15 December 1871, Page 3

PACIFIC ISLANDS SLAVE TRADE.

(From the Sydney 3£orning Herald, Nov. 21.J We propose to givo a few instances of the operation of the labour recruiting trade, and its bearing on the civilisation of the South Seas. We propose to limit our inquiries to facts which have reached us witliin ,the last fortnight. We have no doubt that every week will bring new instances substantially the same. Before the public mind becomes palled by repetition, we think it is desirable that these facl s should bo clearly placed before our readers. The* saddest symptom of moral degeneracy is the apathy which grows upon a community familiar with evil. For example, if to had. been told ten years ago that from the ports of this hemisphere, there would issue destroyers of the people of the Southern Ocean, we should have asked, are Englishmen then to be compared with the people of Peru ? Yet we have not only imitated their example, but, under the flags of European nations, are sweeping the islands, of their inhabitants, carrying them into bondage, and perpetrating in this trade all the crimes which were ever attributed to that traffic from which England at a great cost redeemed, the millions of Africa. We need now only refer to the murder of Bishop Patteson and his companions, which is traced, as far as such facts can be followed up to their source, to revenge consequent on the prosecution of this trade. But we take a series of facts which profess to be an abridgment of the log of the schooner Isabella, given in the Brisbane Colonist, and copied into our journal on Monday, November 13. The Isabella, carrying with her a Government Polynesian agent, sailed on a recruiting voyage. While at the island of Amie, the Harold Maclean called, having fifty-eight Polynesians on board, as well as the Marion and ketch Lapwing, both on a labour cruise from Fiji. Proceeding further, the Isabella again met with the Marion Eenny, having thirty-four natives on board. The schooner then went to Pentecost, where the crew were received with a shower of stones, spears, and arrows, by which several men were wounded. On the 19th July, the schooner lay off Clair Island, and her recruiting boat received another shower of ai*rows, which was returned by its occupants with a fire of guns and revolvers. At Gana the Isabella found two- Fijian vessels, the natives being very distrustful. On the 26th she vi-

siied the Solomon' Islands- The natives, it is said, were friendly, and nine labourers vrere received from the King. On the Bth of August, the schooner having obtained two interpreters, visited another island, and was surrounded by war canoes each having twenty or thirty men. The crew were apprehensive of attack and departed. Cruising, along, the Isabella met the ketch Helen with thirty natives on board. On reaching Havana harbour, the schooners Amy Bell and Defiance, and the ketch Edith, were found at anchor there. Such are some of the incidents of this voyage. Let our readers-look at them. The ship throughout her cruise was generally met with signs of hostility, and sometimes with actual violence. It procured, labourers from a King who is said to have been friendly. The crew were nearly captured by a large number of canoes. They had to use guns in one instance to cover their landing party. We may here gather all the incidents of the slave trade. Turning to our issue of the l-4th instant, we find an account of the murder at Fiji of j five white men on board the Meva, of ten tons. This was perpetrated by men from the Solomon Islands, of whom there were forty on board, recently imported- by the Lismore. They were being convoyed to some cotton sta- i tion. The murderers sailed away, and were j passed by a number of English vessels. We •■ have yet to receive a report of their capture. ' The mode in which labourers have been ob- j I tamed from the Solomon Group- by many yes- j sels can leave no doubt of the impression under which the ci'hne has- been perpetrated. We next call attention to a notice which appears in our yesterday's issue in the shipping'list, extracted from the JByishane Courier. The Leitona reports that she returned from j a labour cruise with sixty natives. A missionary, named Goodwell was visited at Cape Lisburn. He stated that having relieved a I vessel from Fiji, short of provisions, sho carried off four natives, and that his own safety was compromised by threats of revenge. He further stated that 26Q men had been " recruited " from the island during the year. Our readers may imagine the amount of peril involved in the trade which carries oft so many, and leaves behind such fierce but just resentment. An extract from a letter haiuled to xis by a clergyman of this city, received from the Marshall Group of Islands, South Seas, dated in August last, reports that the effect of the labour trade has been to render it difficult to land on some islands where friendly relations formerly existed. It adds : — " The truth is, that not a single native of these islands has willingly left, nor would do so on any account; and that if this process of kidnapping continues to be carried on, people must not feel surprised if a vessel is taken, and all hands are murdered." These are facts which have come within our-knowledge during the last ten days. The incidents are chiefly gathered from sources far removed from missionary influence. They arc the uncolourcd outline which no man can fill up.