THE CRUISE OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3341, 9 November 1871, Page 2

THE CRUISE OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS.

The following are some further quotations from the diary of Captain Jacob, of the missionary jschooner Southern Cross : " August 23rd. — At Mate the Bishop went on shore. There was a man left there out of the Lismore, of Dunodin, as a hostage in lieu of an American blackman, who W9nfc on board the Lismore as o decoy to interpret — I should have sa,id to induce natives on board. The captain told him he would be back in four days. He is now three weeks on shore and there ia no sign of the vessel. Ho told Mr Atkin that a small vessel belonging to the Fiji Islands was taken at Hinchinbrook, and that all bands were killed but the captain, who got away somehow, and was taken on board the Mystery, He also said bis vessel and the Daphne went there to avenge the taking of this vessel. He would not cay what they did, as the people on board his vessel told him if he would iell they would shoot him. This man was cook in the Lismore. The crew, he said, had very high wages, and had money besides. Things are becoming very serious hero. 11 Augmt ,30th.— Off Ovonli ; the Biehop went on shore, and found Mr Brook quits well, after his otay on the island of eleven weeks. The day before we arrived there was a black brig (name unknown) off the island, A canoe went out to her with five natives, although Mr Brook and the chief did a'l they could to prevent them. Two boats we-o lowered and the caqoo captured ; one man escaped.

He stated, when ho got on shore, that the men wero killed, their heads cut off, and bodies thrown to the sharks } and it was black men were in the boat, and wore from tho N.W., their cnemieß. Brook is quite certain the men wero killed, The excitement on shore, he says, was dreadful. At one time ho was very much afraid of his own head. We anchored at Oboulo. The vessel wns crowded with natives. I counted at one time one hundred on board. It would have been very easy to take us if they were so inclined. During Mr Brook's stay at Florid.-, there were eighteen natives killed and fifty taken away. " September 1. — Left Oboulo and Bailed for Savo. There is a white man at Sdvo trading I for cocoa-nut oil and shell, who told us the Wainui steamer was here, and had a great row with tho natives, taking some of them away, also two women, wife and daughter of the chief Savo. The women on shore made a fearful howl. He (the white man) had to barricade himself in his house for more than twenty-four hours until their rage cooled, as tho natives thought ho had something to do with the people of the Wainui. This man, and another of the name of Russell, were loffc here about four months ago by Captain Mucfarlane, to trade. Russell died shortly after. I believe ho belonged to Auckland at one time. "On the 4th of September left Suvo for Ysubel, where we arrived the same day ; tho Bishop went on shore. In the afternoon the Bishop camo on board. We now commenced beating to the south, taking Santa Crua and the Reef Islands on our route. While Mr Atkin was at Ulaua hd was speaking to the oaptain of a topsail schooner called the Emma Bell, who told him ho was going to Santa Cruz, and, if so, wo will have to look out sharply. '• On tho 18th of September wo saw a canoo under sail from Nupani, standing towards Santa Cruz. It being calm, lowered the boat. The people in tho canoe know tho Bishop. They told him they did not see any vessel about; they were greatly frightened to see the boat pulling after them." Two days afterwards the Bishop was killed, and Captain Jacob thus continues his diary : — " So much for your kidnapping vessels and your civilised white man. A vessel was here and took away some natives, and otherwise abused them. We being tho next vessel, and the Bishop being the next white man that came this way, the natives wero sure to bo avenged. There is not an island we were afc this cruise but we heard of vessels being there and taking away natives. A schooner, called the Helen, of Auckland, Kenneth M'Kenzie, master, would undoubtedly have been taken at Florida, only for Mr Brook, who was on shore at tho time the vessel called. It appears that a brig was there a few days previously. A canoe, with five people, went out to her ; four of these were killed, tho other escaping by clinging to the rudder for some time, and watched his chance and swam on shore. The natives all assembled armed, and were getting their war canoes ready. Mr Brook told them he would go out first, and see if it waa a bad vessel j perhaps it was a trader that came to trade with them; however, Mr Brooks pacified them."