The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-04 00:00:00

THE LATE AFFRAY in OTAHEITE.
We have been favoured with two private letters
from Otaheite to the 25th of April last, detailing the
particulars of the affray between the French and the
natives, of which only partial accounts hav,. hitherto
appeared.
The following are extracts from the lett rs, which
are addressed to a gentleman holding an official situa-
tion in this country :--
Otaheite, April 24.
I wrote you on the 25th ult. by the Favourite,
English whaler. The Eagle leaves to-morrow for the
United States, and I avail myself of the opportunity
of furnishing you with a report of the doings at Ota-
heite. In my last I related some of the causes which
led the natives of these islands to stand up for their
country and liberties. Denounced and outlawed by
the invaders, driven to a last dire extremity, they
assembled to the number of about 1,000, preferring
death from the guns of their enemies to dragging out
a weary existence as miserable slaves. The French
pursued them; and the result has been a bloody
battle, of which I shall proceed to give you some par-
ticulars; and as it took place at a place called Ma-
haena, let it be chronicled in history as " The Battle
of Mahaena. "
The French war steamer Phaeton, and the frigate
Uranie, sixty-four guns, came to anchor in the har-
bour of Papetii, the former having the greater part of
the wounded on board, la-t night, and the latter this
day, bringing intelligence of a desperate engagement
between 800 marines, soldiers, and artillery, of the
French forces in the Pacific, and about 1,000 Otahei-
tans. Both parties suffered severely, but the Otahei-
tans remain masters of the field of battle. The Otahei-
tans had shown considerable judgment in the selec-
tion of their encampment ; where nature had failed to
supply a defence, large embankments of sand and earth
were raised, with deep trenches on either side. In
their rear was a thick and ahnost impenetrable bush,
in case of their being compelled to retreat. On their
fortification were mounted six guns, and altogether it
was well calculated to stand a regular siege. The lines
of defence extended about 300 yards ; a solid embank-
ment of earth and sand, supported inside with large
logs of wood, cut into lengths of about six feet, the
earth being on a level with the tops of the logs on the
outside, and about ten feet thick.
About five o'clock on the morning of the 18th the
French commenced landing, protected by the guns of
the steamer and frigate ; and as there was some diffi-
culty in this, it was past ten before they were in mo-
tion for the attack, with a number of field-pieces, and
led on by Governor Bruat in person. An individual
of the name of Henry, a son of a missionary here, and
who is indebted ta the natives of the island entirely
for his subsistence, pointed out to the French is path
by which they could reach a hill which commanded
part of the encampment ; and although a strong party
with muskets could do little damage by being in pos-
session of this spot, yet when a few field-pieces were
stationed there the havoc was great. When the main
body of the French saw that this spot had been gained,
and which the Otaheitans neglected to defend, the
attack commenced. The struggle that ensued was
dreadful, the Otaheitans fighting man to man with
their spears against the bayonets of the French sol-
diers (for not above one-half of the Otaheitans had
fire-arms). Their desperation and their mortal hatred
of the French told volumes. When the least oppor-
tunity offered the thundering broadsides of the Uranie,
and long guns of the steamer, never ceased to assist
in the fierce conflict. Grapa shot and shells were
abundant as hail in December, still the contest was
maintained ; the trenches were strewed with the dead.
Wounded on the part of the Otaheitans there were
none; for, infuriated to a degree, they fought as if a
spirit possessed them. One man, without so much as
a stick in his hand, after being mortally wounded with
a bullet, picked up a stone, and aimed it at Governor
firuat, who barely avoided it. He reeled and fell a
lifeless corpse.
The guns on the hill had continued to tell fearfully
on the ranks of the brave Otaheitans, and a retreat
of a few yards into the woods in their rear was
advisable. Thither they marched, and the French,
glad, no .doubt, to purchase a respite on any terms,
judged it by no means prudent to pursue where
the contest would have been so unequal for them ;
Ind here ends the second battle between Otaheite and
France. The French have suffered severely—at the
very lowest, I should say, 100 men ; while on the
other side it is almost impossible to ascertain their
oss ; but as they only acted on the defensive through-
mt, it may reasonably be presumed that the loss on
esth sides is about eqe al. By their accounts, on their
trrival here, the loss was stated to be 13 men—the
irst lieutenant and one junior ditto of the steamer,
end about 40 wounded ; the following day, 27 killed
Ind wounded ; and now the Governor himself admits
that they have lost 48, and upwards of 70 wounded.
I fear every day will add to this number, for the boats
,f the frigates and steamers seem to be occupied only
in transferring bodies from the vessels to their long
-esting-place. This loss is exclusive of those killed
whilst landing, which may have been about 50 ; they
'tad to land upon a reef, where a tremendous sea was
freaking.
Offers of peace have been proposed by Governor
„runt to the Otaheitans. The answer sent back was
characteristic of the Otaheitans—" Before any pro-
positions would be considered, the French Governor
,nust restore the lives of their murdered countrymen."
Che Otaheitan custom after battle was always to
hury the bodies not only of their friends but also of
heir enemies, and nothing could he more insulting
ban the way the French abused the bodies of the
dain. They piled up the dead bodies in heaps as a
trophy of their victory. I blush to tell it, hut truth
requires it. The reason the French Governor assigns
Or this murderous affair, according to the statement of
is secretary, was to avenge the blood of their country-
nen who fell in their first battle, and for the honour of
France. These were his very words. The avenging
the blood of their countrymen is ridiculous ; in
tact, a more unjustifiable case of murder never was
eerpetrated. Post- Pomare, the Queen of Otaheite,
•-emains on board the Basilisk English man-of-war.
[n her letter to Admiral Thomas she says, " I and
,ny people have sworn before God, that no power but
England shall govern Otaheite while we live." The
sandwich Islands have been erected into an indepen-
lent state ; and why should not Otaheite ? Three
Commissioners—one from England, one from France,
ind another from the United States—men of probity
mud wisdom, could be found to assist Otaheitans for
~wo or three years, and after that they might be able
-o manage their arrangements with foreign powers
themselves. As regards their internal affairs, laws,
and regulations, they were as well managed as in any
.:ountry in the world before France interfered with
hem.
There seas a report current some few days ago that
it was the intention of the French to take Queen Po-
mare out of the English vessel, and, believe me, this
report may be true as to Governor Bruat's intention,
tbr nothing now would surprise us.
Upon the natives hearing this report respecting the
Queen, this place was deserted to a man, not even the
lowest and wretched creatures kept in the pay of the
French would hear of this outrageous proceeding,
and in consequence, I suppose, it has been given up.
April 25.
I wrote you a few days ago, expecting that the
Eagle would have sailed ere now ; something, how-
ever has detained her, and I avail myself of this op-
portunity of giving you further particulars of the
late unfortunate collision between the French and
the natives. Instead of the Otaheitans being com-
pelled to retreat, it turns out to have been merely a
manceuvre on the part of the natives to draw their
enemies farther into their power; and with regard
to the natives having suffered such severe loss, it
turns out that they have not lost above 80 men, while
the loss on the part of the French is allowed to be
at the very least 120. In fact, from the nature
of the ground, the strong defences of the en-
campment, and their determined opposition, it could
not have turned out otherwise. When the Otaheitans
retired they expected the enemy to pursue, instead of
which they threw a little sand over the bodies of their
unfortunate companions, piled up the bodies of their
enemies, and in great haste made the best of their way
to their ships. Many who were mortally wounded
they took with them, but 'before they had reached
the vessel these were no more. They filled one
large double canoe and one of their boats with the
bodies, and sank them out at sea. Somehow this
had not been well managed, for ever since, the
coast, for upwards of twenty miles, had been strewn
with bodies, upwards of sixty having been counted
by an Englishman who resides in that part of the
island. The frigate Uranie was in such a hurry to
get away, that they cut the chain of one of their best
anchors, leaving a buoy at it: This buoy rope the
natives have since cut, and in consequence the anchor
is lost. Governor Bruat has entirely failed in his
endeavours to conciliate the natives—they will not
listen to his proposals. I think he at last sees the
propriety of pursuing a different policy towards the
Otaheitans, but it is too late. His murderous thirst
may be satiated. The honour and glory of France
may, in his estimation, have received an addition, but
he has stirred up a deadly feeling of hatred which
never will be effaced.—Times.

We hear that the military road to New Brnnswick
and Nova Scotia is expected to be opened in the course
of the present season ; that a site which has been ex-
plored is nearly level, and that the distance to Halifax
will be diminished nearly a hundred miles, so that with
proper management a communication by post may be
effected in sixty hours. This is truly an imperial work,
which, particularly when the fort and grand falls is
erected, with other military works in contemplation, will
greatly add to the security and advantage of all the Bri-
tish North American provinces.— Quebec Gazette.

SHOREHAM.—The first section of the breakwater
was launched on Saturday, but owing to the quay giving
way, the breakwater did not go far enough into the
river to float, aed must now remain in its present posi-
tion until next spring tides. Two more sections are
nearly ready to be launched,--Brighton Qazette.