Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-02-19
Some Account. Of the Fejee Savnges-
Their Ferocity-M assacrcs-Ap pearance
of the John Adams at the Islands.

some Account OF the feJce
Their ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ppearance
OF the John Adams Mt the Islands.
The following letter from the Fejee Islands
to a gentleman in Philadelphia, (which we take
from the North american Of that city, viii be
read, in this connection, with interest. The
writer went to those Islands on trading
voyage thirty-two years ago, left the ship to
which he was attached and settled at Levuka.
Here he soon acquired the language and be-
came great favorite among the chiefs. He
is quite an intelligent person, is altogether
trust worthy, aud has been of great service to
all who have visited these Islands since his
settlement upon them, as an interpreter and in
procuring provisions, &c. After the return of
the exploring expedition under Com. Wilkes
to the United States, Mr.. Whippey was made
Vice Consul for these Islands:
FEJEE ISLANDS, Q4evuka,) Oct. 10, 1855.
Mr.. D, Philadelphia
Ny DEAR Sir: ! promised, when you left
here in the Vincennes, to let you know once in
a while how things went on in the Islands. !
commenced, and wrote you twice, but receiving
no answers, concluded that you either did not
get the letters, or that you were dead; and
have not heard to the contrary till | saw your
son here in the United States ship st. Marys.
Therefore, take this opportunity Of letting you
know that am still alive. Most of the whites
that were residing here a, the time of your
visit are dead. The old King of Ambou
(Tanoa) is dead. The King Of Some Some,
and all his sons, have been killed by Sam, the
Chief Of Ambou The King of Rewa and all
his brothers but two, have been killed by the
same man; and he has done nothing else but
slaughter his countrymen ever since he has
been in power.
TUT Levuka the chief Of this place when you
were here, was killed, and mo tot the people
in the town. by the people OF the mountains Of
Ovoluu. His son is now Chief Of the place.
and is at war with Ambou, and has been so for
these two years past that ia, ever since our
town was burnt by that party Old Tui
Muthwater was killed by Goungtober shortly
after you left, and the people have been at war
ever since.
The burning of Tye and Swalib, and the
chastisement at MaIolo by the exploring expe.
dition, has had a most lasting effect on the
natives OF these places, aud | think that white
man in either would be as safe as in the City Of
New York, at Malolo in particular, as they
consider themselves belonging 10 America and
tHc qNcsllbU mas bGbl OliGI dsheu ny lllbIn, WHY
they were not visited by the ships Of war from
America, as the Island and people belong to
them?
The Missionaries that were at Some Some left
there without one proselyte. Mr.. Hunt is dead
and also Messrs. Cross and Cargill. The mis-
sion has been doing next to nothing till of late,
but they are now going on rapidly; young Saru
has turned Christian for while, and the Tonga
people have been here for these last six months
spreading starvation and destruction all over
the group. They have now full possession of
most all the Weather Islands; some OF them
are about leaving for their homes at Tongata-
leon.
There are rbout 60 or 20 whites on Ovoau,
and about 200 children Of half castles OF late
there have been some dreadful massacres on
these islands by the Tongues, say ESQ, at two
different times have been killed.
The United States ships ST. Marys and John
Adams are now at anchor in this barbor, to
investigate some robberies committed by the
natives. ] hope they will succeed and do it
well if not there will be no security for either
property, or for the commerce Of the American
traders There is still great quantity Of shell
and leeke de mar procured here.
You must excuse all mperfectious, as my
lamp is dim.
Wishing you health and happiness. / remain
your obedient servant
DAVID wHIPPEY.