Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-09-02

of the men, wifi the credullty common to sea.
men, thinking il was bird OF al omen, wanted
to kill it, but the captain, pleased with ITS perfect
taa,sness. determined on preserving its life, on
the following day, the islands to which the name
Of Massacre Islands was afterwards given, were
discovered, and the little bird Immediately new
to the land. Numerous, no doubt, have since
been the regrets ON board, that the bird was al
lowed to escape; for, to it have many OF their
subsequent misfortunes been strangely enough at
trlbuted
On the esd May then. the schooner was in sight
of six islands, all small, with rect OF ROCKS
running from one to the other. through which there
was here and there small channel about l00
yards in width. The islands appeared very frut-
full, and several large canoes were seen inside the
reef, the boat was sent to the reef and plenty OF
Beach lie Mar, Of excellent quality being tound
there, the CAPTAIN determined on endeaVoring to
procure cargo Of that commodity at this place.
After anchoriug and making ether necessary
preparations, part of the crew were sent on shore
on the Goth, for the purpose of clearing away the
trees and bushes and building an house where the
Beach lie Mar, whea taken. might be cured and
rendered fit for transportation.
tits perhaps necessary that we should state here
that Beach e Mar is fish, of which the Chinese
are particularly f'nd. and for which they pay
high price.
The natives had come off to the schooner IN
several large canoes bringing with them cocoa-nuts
and Shells. They we're Negroes Of large stature
and some of them appeared to possess consider
able acuteness. No white man had ever been
seen by them before they thought the crew OF the
Antarctic were painted white and endeavored by
rubbing to bring their skins to the complexion OF
their own. Their ideas were all confined to the
little group OF islands on which they lived, they
had however some imperfect notions OF another
group at some distance from them, and from these
they presumed tic schc-ner now came.
| We abstain from aotcing the surprise they ex-
hbcd on frs. seeing their visitors; the conductof
savages in similar circumstances Is probably al
WAYS alike, and there are few of us who have not,
at some time or Other, dwet with deep interest on
the details Of the first meetings between civilized
and uncivized man.
The BOATS crew had gotten the forge ashore
and set it uu; the natives stole some of the ar
morer's tools. which induced the Captain to send
another boatwith acrewwell armed ;theycOmpelled
restoration of the things stolen; but the natives
now appeared hostile-they drew their bows, and
stood ready to discharge their arrows. The crews
then determined on seizing the person OF the head
chief which they Effected, and carried him on
| board with manv of the natives: he IN the even
| ing, however, jumped overheard and swan
ashore. and in the course OF the night, the others
| followed his example.
On the following morning, the people went
ashore TO work, rs usual. At eight O'Clock they
returned TO the schooner TO breakfast, leaving
three Heii on sheszto watch their tools; thirty
| three OF the natives collected round these men,
and were on the point of commencing an attack,
! which they only desisted from. on seeing that
the boat had come back from the vessel and touch
ed the shore. Atmidday a number OF canoes
put off from the other islands-the Captain be-
ing apprehensive of hostilities reinforced the
hands on shore till they amounted in number to
81. Beads were also sent by him to the officer
commanding them, and he was particularly eau
toned to be on his guard, caution. however,
which he disregarded, for shortly after the ma
tives made general and successful attack on
them from the wood two of the crew that were
in the Jolly boat had just time to shove her off,
When out of the each of the arrows, they laid
by and took on board three of the crew that had
saved themselves in the water. The whale boat
dispatched BY the captain, with 10 armed men,
on hearing the war whoop of the natives, saved
two more Of them, the remainder we're all mas
sacred, with the exception of one whose fate we
we shall hereafter mention.
Capt. Morrel with diminished crew found
it impossible to prosecute the objects Of his voy
age, and he therefore determined to return to
Manila. to obtain reinforcement of men. He
arrived there on the e5th June, and having ship
ped IA more meu sailed on Inc 9Th August. On the
18th september he once more reached the islands
where he had lost so many q his crew, aud
which, from that circumstance. he called Nassa-
ere Island; but he had no sooner come to an an
Choir, than he was attacked by the natives in
their canoes; a brisk fire from the schooner.
however, compelled them to retreat.
Shortly afterwards a small canoe put of from
the shore, in which, to the great joy ofa on board
the schooner, they found one Of their old crew,
Leonard Shaw, who at the time of the massacre
had hidden himself in the woods and escaped -
He had remained concealed for fifteen days, SUBJ
sisting on only four cocoa nuts, when he was dis
covered BY the natives and cruelty wounded
From this man. Capt. Morrel learned, that
the skulls of IS Of his men that were killed, were
hanging at tie Chiefs door, and that few days
before his return to the island the natives had
consulted together on killing and eating Shaw
b;mself but pIayed IL in consequence of the alb