The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-22 00:00:00

THE KIDNAPPING OF SOUTH SEA

ISLANDERS.

The reports which have been published of the
kidnapping of South Sea Islanders by Peruvian
slave-dealers appear to have excited a general feel-
ing of horror and indignation in the Australian
colonies. The press is loud in its denunciations of
the infamous acts which have been committed,
and a meeting has been held at Sydney to memo-
rialise the English parliament upon the subject.
At this meeting of which the Hon. John Hay,
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, waschairman,
an account of thekidnapping that has been carried
on was read by the Rev. W. Murray, for many years
a missionary in Western Polynesia. The follow-
ing is a report of the statements made by this
gentleman :
The priticipel authorities to which f am indebted for the
fate embodied in the following statement are the Rev.
Henry Nisbet and the Rev. Henry Gee, miesionaries in
Samoa ; the Rev. W. G. lowa, missioaary on Savers
Jihad ; J. C. Williams, Foe.. her Britannic Majesty's con-
sul for Semen ; a gentleman in Valparaiso, sageW in mer-
cantile pursuits, whose name I am not at liberty to mili-
tias • Captain Webster, of the Flying Fish • Make and
&missile, native teachers • and • letter which ' appeared in
the Sydney Morning Herald.
The first attempts to capture and carry into slavery
natives of the isles of the Pacific, so fez ss our information
poi, were made among the small islands of the Tahitian
Group, under French protection. somewhere about twelve
months sines. To the honour of the French authorities in
Tahiti, they adopted prompt measures to put a stop to these
iniquitous proceedings. One vessel, the Meroedcd Ulholy,
was seized with over 150 natives on beard. These, of
course, were ell rescued. The vessel was condemned and
sold, and the captain sentenced to five years' penal servi-
tude, and the supercargo to ten. These infamous men are
now undergoing their punishment. Four or five other
evade have also been seized by the French, and have had
their mew as slavers abruptly brought to a close. We ate
not in po.ees•oe of particulars as to how they have dealt
with the several vessels they have captured. One was
allowed to return to Callao, having sold all her rice and
other rovisiops, so as to render it impracticable for her to
on her voyage se • slaver. Four others were being
reta7n7d at Tahiti at the close of April. one at which had
been abandoned by her captain, who had fled.
But the French have done more than merely mite vessels
and rescue those found on beard, they have followed the
matterupto headquarters, demanded of thePeruvan govern-
ment every native who has been taken from islands under
their protection, sod for everyone who is missing they are
demanding heavy damages. Thus the French are adopting
the right course, and for the part they are acting they are
entitled to, sad will have, the thanks of the civilised
world. So far as appears, however, their efforts hitherto
have bees confined to the islands nadir their pro-
tectioo, and than all but • very anal pert of the
countries exposed to the ravages of the maseetealer. That
they are quite disposed to extend their efforts beyond
them own territory we cannot doubt ; but, as • matter of
fact, they. have not yet done so, and in all the other ex-
posed regions DO check has been or is being imposed upon
the perpetrators of thee" deeds of cruelty and blood.
It appears that early this year as many as from 1,500
to 2,C30 h•pless beings, collected from the different
islands, had been conveyed to South America, and at this
date the traffic is being carried on with unabated vigour.
We know from reliable authority that twenty-five
vessels have been fitted 'out in Cellao, and cleared from
that port, under pretext that they were coming to hire
labourer. All was to be done by fair arrangement—a thing,
by the way, that bears the stamp of absurdity unite face. To
mention but • single difficulty - they would find the natives
of every separate group speaking • different dialed; sod
that would be an effectual barrier in the way of entering
into an agrement. But their subsequent prooeedings show
clearly enough the real character of their enterprise. De.
ceptiore force, murder, are not the resorts of those who go
with honest intentions to engage labourers. And in re-
turning to the coast these vessels further discover their true
character by not going to the port whence they come, but
skulking into by-harbours. They do not, however, seem to
return very frequently. The necessity for this is avoided
by an expedient in keejiug with the whole &e-
-recter of their doings. They have a depot at an
Wend called Eater Island. This island is about thirty-
six miles in circuit. It lies in longitude 109 W.,snd latitude
27 S. It is said that they have completely swept the island
of its inhabitants. Seven vessels assembled on the island,
mat on shore most of their crews, no doubt theroughlys rmed,
surrounded the natives, and carried them off. Having
carried off the people, they took hogs, poultry, and
whatever else they desired, and burned the houses, reserving,
no doubt, as many as they wanted for their own purposes.
To this island the slavers carry the wretched beings whom
they manage to seize, and a schooner plies between the
island and the coast, carrying cargo after cargo to slavery
and death.
These vessels are said to be in whole or in part owned by
a mercantile house in Callao, and this house is further said
to be connected with • firm in Liverpool.
When the Humboldt sailed from Samoa on the 12th of
May last, there were three of these vessels about that group
lying in wait off the different island., with the view of pick-
ing up any mace or boat that might venture out to sea. One
small boat had been caught. The crew consisted of two
Samosas and one Portuguese. The captain was induced to
ist the Portuguese go. The Samoans he carried off.
On board one vessel that called off Samoa there were 300
natives of different islands, and the captain wished to obtain
40 more to complete his cargo. Think of 700 human beings,
accustomed to the moat perfect freedom, crowded on booed
• single vessel, in the heart of the iro.pics. We have
reliable information respecting the following islands and
the numbers taken from there s—Fitialanep, 100 ; Puke-
, ckie ; Manahiki and Maugarongaro, 40; Tokelau, 60;
ialMes,bwth tnd,be6°eiception total fr°o7 tvageese milst% which lashese
in
latitude 19 S., sod longitude 170 W., all lie towards the line
about latitude S. 8 to 10, and longitude W. from 150 to
172. On all these islands, except Fitiahogi, we have Ws-
Coos, and it is owing to that that we are in on of the
information we have. But for that we • t have been in
utter ignoraoce of what has taken place ; and this awakens
painful apprehensions as to what may have been the fate
of other islanders where no one ia found to tell
the tale of their wrongs, each aa Easter Island already
mentioned. and High Island, from which, it is said, • ship
load of people has been taken—that there have been such
doings on a large male is clear from the fact that in addi-
tion to the number we have named, from 1,500 to 2,000
have been taken to the land of bondage. On the whole it
is certain that considerably over 2,000 either are now in
actual bondage, or are on their way to the land of doom,
or have had their lives cut short by the hardsbips and
cruelties to which they have been exposed. And we know
from good authority, that it is designed to raise the number
to 10,000, of course making no account of those who die on
their way to their destination, or lose their lives in en-
counters with their captors. Such is she state of the case
that now claims our sympathies—a case deplorable in the
highest degree. It may be questioned whether ever • case
calling more urgently for prompt sad effective interference
was presented to • Christian community. Let ply one read
the simple 'elms tales of the Barotoligan and Samoan
teachers, Malta and Samuel*, and be must be strangely
constituted if his soul is not stirred to its lowest depths.
One of the most touching incidents that has yet come to
light connected with the whole affair is the fact that on
the morning following the dreadful day on which the mur-
derous proceedings took place at Savage Island the natives,
while their bowie were bleeding and their tears flowing
because fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons were torn
from their embrace, should lift up their voice to God in
prayer, not to invoke vesgence upon the heads of their
guilty oppressors, but to pray that their hearts might be
changed, and that they might be led to abandon tbeir
wicked courses. How like the spirit of Him whose followers
they profess to be—" Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do." And theee are the desceadarits of men
who rushed upon Captain Cook when he landed upon their
shores, as he expresses it, like wild boars, and who them-
selves were in the same state twelve years ago as that in
which they were found by Cook. What a mighty influence
must the Gospel have exerted upon them.
Still more touching, perhaps, is the scene on board that
floating hell where the poor captives were confined. When
they supposed. the hour had arrived at which they had been
wont with their families to worship God in their happy
homes—now no longer theirs they united in their
accustomed exercises ; they prayed and sang prelate to God.
and, no doubt, like their friends on shore, sought blessings
for the miserable men by whom they were being so
cruelly wronged.
The following extract from a letter of Mr. Lewes pain.
fully illustrates these remarks •—" When the ship sailed
oe the night of the capture. the natives on board thought
she was making a long tack ; hut they sOOO found that
they only were really off. They then held a council as to
what was to be done ; the young men were for seizing the
captain and crew, tying them all up, and then taking the
ship in, and, when the natives were all safe OD shore, un-
tying the crew and letting them go ; but the old men over-
ruled this, lest any of the foreigners should be killed in
the affray. Two white men, armed, guarded the hatchway,
which was shut down, and the poor creatures below were in
total darkness. They kept knocking at the door, deck, and
rides of the ship, and calling to be let out. After a while,
some of the white men went down and beat them with
great pieces of wood for making a noise. When the peer
captives thought it was about the time of their evening
worship, they pelted in their wretched confioemeut in
shirring and prayer."
On the following day the vessel stood in towards
the @bore. Some natives, ignorant of the character
of the ship and of what had transpired, went on hoard.
Those in coofinement recognised the well-known sounds of
their native tongue. They shouted for help, but of course in
vain. By desperate efforts they succeeded in breaking a
hole in the door brae .enough to let see through st * time.
A numllersucceerled in reaching the deck, and rushed over
the ship's side into the sea, but there wereonly two or three
small canoes—land was • long way off, and some were not
able to swim well. The wretches on board fired from the
duck upon the helpless natives in the canoes and the water.
A boat was lo,ered, and many were recaptured. Seven
only escaped. Among those earned off were thirteen church
members, and many candidates. Eighteen wives are left
without husbands, and sixty-three children are deprived of
their fathers.
In :mother pert of the island stil more dreadful scenes
occurred which we maxi not particularise. In reference to