Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-07-28

O~"J SoOA.ASo Oh SIlO = w DIS COIIiplCtCQs
the savages would put off TO take posses
sion Ct the vessel, and subject those on
board to the same fate as their companions
on shore; the boys slipped the cable, in
tending to get under weigh, to avoid the
impending danger, but before they could
accomplish their purpose, the savages
came OIL in their canoes and took possess
sion of the vessel, letting go the small an
Choir TO bring her up again. The boys
took refuge in the rigging, but the steward
was Immediately surrounded by the sava-
ges, one of whom dashed his brains out
with piece of handspike, and threw
the body overheard. The boys remained
at the masthead till the evening. The
savages, in the meantime, made several
efforts to go aloft, but desisted from fear.
Several arrows were shot at the boys, but
fortunately none Of them took effect.
Fearful, however, that they could not
much longer escape, they at last resolved
TO come down; the savages Immediately
stripped them, pat them into the canoes,
and took them ashore. On their arrival,
the boys found that the savages had ar
ranged the headless bodies of their murde-
red companions in u line on the beach,
over which they we're compelled to walk,
Forbes recognizing the remains of his
brother one of the crew, in the third body
on which he had 10 tread. On the follow
ing day, the bodies were thrown into the
bay. The heads were tied together and
hung upon tree in the centre of the viii
lage, round which the savages danced for
three successive days and nights Suisse
quently, when decomposition had advanced
to such degree as to become offensive,
the heads were taken down and placed
alongside a stone near the beach, where
they remained until buried by the boy
Forbes, without the knowledge Of the sava-
ges, about six days afterwards. On the
day succeeding that on which the massa
ere took place, the savages ransaCked the
vessel, and after taking every thing out Of
her to which they took a fancy, they hau-
led her on the beach and set fire to her,
The boy Edward survived his captivity a.
bout seven years, when he died through
the effects of exposure to the sun, and the
ill-treatment Of the savages. After his
death, his remains were placed in basket,
and hung up on tree on the beach, where
they remained until the bones fell piece by
piece, through the basket, which had be-
come decayed, and were picked up and bu-
ried around the root Of the tree by his
surviving companion in misfortune. Du-
ring the day, the boys were employed in
planting cocoanuts, yams, melons, tobacco,
&c, and during portion of the night in
fishing. Their food generally consisted OF
vans, and fish. At first, before Forbes
became acquainted with the language, they
used to knock him down, and otherwise
maltrcat him, if he did not Immediately do
what they told him, whether he understood
them or not. Subsequently, when he be-
came better acquainted with the language,
he was treated much more humanely; bat
during the whole seventeen years that he
remained on the island he was treated as
slave. The savages cut his ears, and sus-
pended from them large earrings, nearly
half a pound each in weight; his teeth
were filed to the gums his arms burnt;
and the back Of his right hand tattooed.-
Whenever vessel hove in sight, he was
bound hand and foot, and carried into the
interior until the vessel was gone. About
four years ago, two vessels let 60 their
anchors at OilIet, village adjoining Lou
ran, and offered gown-pieces and other ar
ticles Of traffic as Il ransom, but the natives
refused to give him up, even if they should
offer the vessels themselves.
In March last, Capt Watson, command
ing the British ship Essington, arrived at
OliIlet, having been informed by the capt.
OF Dutch vessel that one of his country
men was in slavery among the savages of
the Straits. Several natives, among whom
was one Of the principal chiefs, came on
board. This parsonage Capt. Watson took
immediate measures to secure, and, having
succeeded, the others were driven off and
informed that the chief should be held cap
tive until the white man was delivered safe
on board. Several stratagems were resor
ted to in order to get the chief off, and an
attempt was even made to capture the YES
sci, which fortunately failed Capt. Wat
son finding that moderate measures were
useless, then gave the chief to understand
that if the white man was not given up i'm
mediately, he should execute summary JUS
tice on him. The chief, beginning TO get
alarmed, thought it the best policy to com
ply slth the captains demand, and the lad
was accordingly given up. The chief was
then presented with three old muskets,
some handkerchieFs and fsh-hooks, and
dismissed. Before the boy was taken on
board. the savages told him they were de-
termined never to hurt another English
man. The chief next in authority TO the
captive, cut the arm of another chief suf-
E-,ooslvr Ioo- I~n, - hia1I nd NTH