The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-02-20 00:00:00

MASSACRE OF A SHIP'S CREW IN THE
SOUTH SEAS.

The Hobart Town Mercury of the 21st December
reports that the brig Wolverine, from Bird Island,
has brought the news of a horrible massacre per-
pEttrated by the natives of Howe's Islands upon the
captain, officers, and crew of the brig James Birney,
of Sydney. The supposed sole survivor of ship's com-
pany is the second officer of the vessel, named William
Rhodes, who arrived by the Wolverine.

The following is the second officer's narrative
The brig James Birney left Sydney about the 4th May
last, for the purpose of proceeding to the South Sea
Islands to collect bOche-de-mer. The vessel was
commanded "by Captain F. W. Fletcher, whose
wife and two children lire at Balmain, near Sydney.
Mr. Christopher Kelly, of Balmain, a brother-in-
law of Captain Flether, was a passenger by the vessel.
The followin4 composed the ship's company :—First
officer, Joseph Leman, a native of London; second
officer; William Rhodes (thesurvivor) ; carpenter, John
Taylor, a native of Auckland, New Zealand • steward,
Robed' M'Ewan, also a native of Auckland; able
seaman, Hugh Cleland,. son of the second engi-
neer of the steamship City of Hobart; John Davis, a
native of Gloucester, England ; Henry Smythe, a
native of Dublin; a man known as Charley," and
two coloured seamen, one a native of Vann Lavu, and
the other of Banks Group. After leaving Sydney
the brig steered for the Loyalty group of islands,
arriving there about the 15th May. The vessel on or
about the 26th August arrived at Howe's Group.
Stations were at once formed on three islands. The
captain superintended one station, the second mate
another, and Davis the remaining one. The chief officer,
with a good force, remained on board the brig to protect
her. The shore parties lived in huts. The most amicable
relations existed between the ship's company and the
natives of the island, who always appeared without their
weapons. The captain gave orders that all the fire-
arms, with the exception of a few weapons, should be
left on board the vessel. The captain took the steam
launch and a large boat, having with him, besides
coloured labourers brought by the vessel, Mr. Kelly,
the passenger; and of the crew, Taylor, Smythe,
and Cleland. The second officer took a large and a
small boat, with a number of coloured labourers, also
brought in the James Birney, but no white men;
Davis, one of the crew in charge of a party of similar
natives, took a small boat. These parties proceeded
to their respective stations, leaving on board the James
, Birney the chief officer, the steward "Charley," a sea-
;man, and a dwarf girl, a native of Solomon Islands.
Early on the morning of the 10th of August, the second
officer took six of his men into the bush and left them
there to cut firewood. The second officer returned to the
hut, and the chief came np to Mr. Rhodes and asked him
for some " baccy," and the latter went into the hut,
and brought out a quantity, which he gave to the
chief. M. Rhodes then went into the smoke-house.
On coming out he was holding a conversation with the
chief when he was suddenly seized from behind
and pinioned. At the same time he received several
blows. This was the signal for all the native party
,who were with Mr. Rhodes, except six, seeking safety
in flight. They took possession of the small boat and
made for the ship. Simultaneously with the
seizure of Mr. Rhodes an attack was made on the
hut- in which were the six coloured labourers who
stuck by Mr. Rhodes.
,They were received at
Ahe door by one of the coloured labourers
named Williams, who fired a revolver and killed one of
their number. The hostile natives who had charge of
Mr. Rhodes left him lying upon the ground, and
joined forces with their companions in the assault upon
the hut. He, however, succeeded in freeing himself,
and made a rush for the hut. He seized a revolver and
a gun, and fired their contents upon the hostile party,
who retreated towards the bush. Mr. Rhodes and his
remaining force of six labourers made for the large boat,
and pulled to,the ship. bn approaching to within a
short distance of the vessel they were received by a
volley of firearms, and then noticed that the vessel was
crowded with natives of the island, who had during the
previous night boarded the vessel, surprising and kill-
ing the chief officer and his companions. Mr. Rhodes
having expended the whole of his ammunition, deemed
it prudent to retreat, as a fleet of canoes was bearing
down towards the vessel from the direction of the
islands on which the captain's and Davis's parties were
stationed. He was then joined by the other boat
containing the coloured labourers. Both then pulled
for a passage running between two of the islands.
About thirty canoes' containing about 100 men, imme-
diately started in chase. The crews of the two boats
managed to pull clear of the islands, when the pursuit
was abandoned. The crew of the smaller boat was then
taken into the larger one, which was steered in the
direction of the Solomon Islands. The boat then con-
tained seventeen souls, who were without provisions
and water, with the exception of six biscuits. Atter
enduring great privations for five days the voyagers
reached the island of Isabel, Solomon Group. The
voyagers then worked along the eastern coast of the
group, touching at several, but not making any stay,
for fear of the natives. Twenty-two days after
leaving the James. Birney, the boat arrived at
Hadda Bay, where the American whaling barque,
Benjamin Cummings, was lying. Mr. Rhodes and
his companions went on board of that vessel, and
the captain' when the vessel left a few days after-
wards for the Bay of Islands, took them away
with him. On her way, the vessel called at Stewart's
Islands, and while there a native of Honolulu, who
had escaped from a captivity amongst the natives
of Howe's Island, said he had heard of no less than six
vessels being captured by those natives, and their crews
massacred. On the 18th ult. the Benjamin Cummings
arrived off Bird Island, and there observed the brig
Wolverine lying at anchor. Next morning, Mr.
Rhodes went on board, and asked Captain Walker to
give him passage. The coloured labourers who escaped
with Mr. Rhodes from the massacre remained on board
the whaler. Mr. Rhodes states that he believes the
whole of the members of the parties commanded re-
spectively by Captain Fletch and by Davis, had been
attacked and murdered by the natives of the island.