Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-04-10
From The Iondos Courie, 81 LaHus.

arrived cant. Fowler, ana part OF incl
crew of che Indian brig Matilda,l
which sailed from this colony in Aug.
1915, bound on voyage to the Der
went and Eastern Islands, and FROM
thence to China but was cut off and
pluhdered OIL the night of the tenth of
April last, while lying at anchor in
Duff's Bay, at the Island OF Rooa-
noah. one of the MarIuesas, on al
sandal-wood voyage. Five OF the
crew, Poomootoo men, had previous
ly deserted, and joining with some of
the Rooapoah natives, took the op-
portunity Of a dark night, and the
wind blowing fresh right on the land. !
to cut the vessel adrift, by which
meas she drove ashore through a
heavy surf, and was soon bilged and
6lled with water. When the canni-
bal natives saw that it was imprac-
ticable to get the vessel afoat, they
universally in the design
in putting the whole Of her crew to
death; which appears to have been a
constant practice among the diffe-
rent natives towards one another
when their canoes happen total on a
strange shore, through stress OF wca-
ther or from any other accident.
Cant. Fowler had formed an init
macy with their chief, or king. Moo
ahetu, who presided at the tribunal
that had devoted the unfortunate ma
rincrs to instant slaughter. He with
held his assent to the murder but
had TO hesitation in permitting the
plunder of the vessel. The crew
were informed by such expressions as
they could understand. rs well as by
Isesticulations that accompanied their
vehement debate on the OCCASION,
that their lives were dependent on
the issue; the good chief was op-
posed by many other chiefs; who,
though somewhat inferior in rank,
were very superior il, numbers sup
ported by the common usaSes OF the
island, from which the exhibition OF
Iclemency appeared an msufferable
deviation. He was seated, with his
son by his side, on mat in his own
dwelling he had been called to the
of the island by the gene
raj wish of the people, as it was not
an hereditary right, but an elective
dignity. His people pressed their
solicitation, earnestly, and at length
peremptorily demanded his assent to
the sacrifice; which he for a length
of time opposed by the force of words,
which not seeming likely to prevail,
ne adopted method which silenced
the whole in an instant, and saved the
lives of capt. Fowler and his crew.
Finding that all his expostulations
were defeated upon the principle Of
undertaking custom. he deliberately
took up two ropes that were near
him, aud fixing one around the neck
of his son, and the otter around his
own, called to the chief next in COM
mand, who Immediately approached
him. His conference was short and
decisive /; he first pointed to the cord
that encircled the neck of his son,
and then to the other. which he had
entwined round his own. +" These
are doomed to DEATH" said
he, &" by my chiefs and my people,
and it is not fit that |, who am their
king, should live to see SO vi, a deed
c.petrated. let ny child and my
sell be strangled before it Is perform.
led and then it never will De said
that we sanctioned even with our eye
sight, the destruction Of these unof-
Tending people"
The masnaninity of such conduct
|couId not do isss than produce, even
lin the mind of the unenlightened
savage, a parox,sn Of surprise ming
led with sentiment oil admifatioh, In
which the untaueht man may posi-
bly, excel his fellow creature, whose
conceptions arc moulded bytcnets CAL
culated to guard HIM from the ex-
tremes of passion. For moment
the people looked wildly upon their
king, whose person they adored, be-
cause hts principles were good, and
his goyernmentjust and mild. They
saw the obedient chief, to whom the
order Of strangulation had been i'm
parted, staring with horror and a.
mazement at the change which a few
moments had produced ; the man
date, which had proceeded from the