Star.
London, England, 1817-01-01 00:00:00

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1817.

On the CO•h of ,ll.cember was pettlished, Part I.XVllleof
DR.. REES'S CY I.OPCE DlA.—Printed for
Longman and C. and the other Proprietors.
The qui:ser). re are requert..l to complete up their Sets maws
ac possible, the, whole Work befog nearly completed, and many
of the Part, are bocoming scarce.

NEW WALES.

ANOTHER DREADIPIM MASSACRE DY TES NATIVES OF
THE MAL:gUSEAS MANES.
[From the Sydney Gasette, November s, MS)
By the Governor Macquarie are arrived Captain
FOWLICR, and part of the crew of the India bri
Matilda, which sailed from this colony in August,
1813, bound on a voyage to tee Derwent and
Eastern Islands, and from thence to China, but
was
cut plf and plundered on the night of the 10h of
April last, while lying at anchor in Duff's Boy, at
the Island of Rooaposib, one of the Marquesas, on a
sandal wood voyage. Five of the crew (Poonrootcso
men) hod previously deserted, and joining with some
of the Row/malt natives, _ took the opportunity of a
'dark night, and the wind blowing fresh right on the
land, to cut the vessel adrift; by which means she
drove ashore through a bear/ surf, and was soon
bilged and filled with water. When the cannibal
natives saw that it was impracticable to get the vessel
afloat, they concerted universally in the design of
putting the whole of her crew tosleath ; which apsears
to have been a constant practice among the different
natives towards one another, when their canoes liap-
pen to fall upon a strange shore, through stress of
weather or from any other accident.
Captain FowLea had formed an intimacy with
their Chief, or King, Nonahetu, who presided at the
horrible tribunal that had devoted the unfortunate
mariners to instant slaughter. He withheld his assea
to the murder; but had no hesitation in permitting
the plunder of the vessel. The crew were informed
by such expressions as they could underit end, as well
as by gesticulations that accompanied their vehement
debate oat the occasion, that their lives were depen•
dent on the issue ; the good Chief was opposed by
many other Chiefs, who though somewhat inferior in
rank, were very far superior in number, supported
by the common usages of the island, tram which the
exhibition of clemency appeared au insufferable de-
viation. Ere was seated, with his son by his side. on
a mat in his own dwelling; be bad been caned to the
supremacy of the island by the general wish of the
people, as it was not an hereditary right, but an elec-
tive dignity. Hie people pressed their solicitations
earnestly, and at length peremptorily demanded hit
assent to the sacrifice; which he for a length of time
opposed by the force of words; which not seeming
likely to prevail, he adopted' a method which silenced
the whole Wan instant, and saved the lives of Cap-
tain Forvt.sa and his crew. Finding that all his ex•
postulations were defeated upon the principle of un-
deviating custom, he deliberately took op two rope%
that wax near him, and fixing one round die neck
of his son, and. the other round his own, called to
..

sire t b! first pasted to the cord %bet encircled the
neek,of his son, and then' to the other. which be bad.
entwined 'round his own. These strangers are
doomed to death," said he, if by my chiefs and my
people, and it h not at that I; who am their King,
should by. to peeves wile a deed perpetrated. Let my
child and myself be strangled before it is performed ;
and then it never will be said that we sanctioned,
even with nor eye-eight, the destruction of these un-
offending people."
The magnanimity of such a conduct could not do
less than produce, even in the mind of the unen-
lslitened -savage, a paroxysm of surprise, mingled
with a sentiment of admiration in which the untaught
man may possibly excel his fellow creature—whose
conceptions are moulded by tenets calculated to
guard him from the extremes of passion. For a mo-
ment the people looked wildly upon their King,
whose person they adored, because that his prince•
pies were good, and his goveroment just and mild.
They saw the obedient Chief, to whom the order of
strangulation had been imparted, staring with hot.
for and amazement at the change which a few mo.
ments had produced ; the mandate which had pro-.
ceeded from the King's own lips must be obeyed ;
and, commanded to perform the dreadful office, lie
proceeded to obey—when a sudden shout from
the multitude • awed him to forbearance. " The
King ! lie King!" from every lip . burst forth—
" Meat kill the King ! No, no, let all the strangers
live—no man shall kill the King 1" Thus were
their lives preserved—and the vessel plundered if
every thing on board her.
The floor of. the Greenwich which was burnt at
Nooxheva, still remains, and lefty at low water. WU
her iron and copper have been taken out by the usi
lives, wbo.have a thorough luiowledge of the use of
these materials. That they are cannibals issirell as-.
certained. They form distinct factions, and make
war open the ruling Chief the rebels are 'denomi-
nated the Typees ; and the opposite parties are hor.
rioly sanguioary towards each. Six of the adrefie'
party were killed and devoured by the. rebels while
Captain FowLao was among them, and the follow/in*,
detestable circumstance occurred en the occasion
A native Ulan belonging to Port.aimi Maria, who
was not natooed, and in consequence prohibited Iron
the eating of human flesh; on pain of death, impa-
tient of the restraint, fell upon one of the murdered
bodies, and darting his teeth into it in all the mad-
ness of a voracious fury, exhaled the crimson mois:
Lure, which had not yet coagulated.
The Chief of Part .A 11144 Marla, who is very.
friendly to Europeans, is named Ke-atta-nooe, the
first part of the name implying the outrigger of a
canoe, and the latter signifyini great. The dress of
'men consists merely of a wrapper about the
st ; the women' are towered from the shoulders.'
downwards to the. uncles, .and are generally fairer
than thiTaheitanitmen. • Tbe Chiefs hive no dis-
tistiatithing mark OP oraawante but in the mode of
wearing theft hair ; which the coo motebrders wear
tied up in a Image knioe •us each side di the head, a
stripe of which. came/dies from the forehead to the
Willowy( the neck, ie-kept shorn, ishich practice the
Chief* do; not adopt.' : Captain- Fnwler.tupposca the
worms tote more prevalent and destrucuve to ships'

.1

WO'

PRIM S EVEN- PENCE.

bottoms there, than he has any where witnessed ; and
to this cense attributes the caution of the natives
drawing up their largest canoes, some of which cots-
tain from 80 to too warriors. They ate elisions
after every kind of property carried among them for
barter, and this is supposed their chief inducement
for attacking vessels 5r),..0 they can do so with a pre.
babitity of accomplishing their object. They have
no knowledge of the use of musket% . and have none
among them except a few at ?Art Anna Maria. A
Gentlem;n, at this time in §ydney, who resided
among them about 15 years Sp, in a missionary ca•
pacity,describea them as a people constantly employ.
,ing their thoughts on plunder, and devising schemes
for taking advantaie of strangers. Their populat
lion is very numerous ; whicit he remarked to some
of them, to whom he gave a description ut Otabeiteg
observing, at the same time, tl AI its inh were
less numerous :—" Cannot we ge and take themlw-
What.is there to hitt.ler us r'—was iffertethateiy de-
manded. This anecdote we no'ice as a apecimeo of
their natural iticlin*.ition to hostility, in whirls all ae
counts respecting thern'currespond.