The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-02-04
Interesting from Micronesia.
RETURN OF THE MISSIONARY PACKET
MING STAR.o

RETURN OF THE MISSIONARY PACKET
MING STAR"
This fine packet returned from her first cruise
to the westward on Thursday last. We have OBJ
tanned from RsY. p. j.. Gulick and from Capt.
Moore the following particulars of the voyage,
which will doubtless interest all our readers.
The Morning Star left Waimea, Kauai, on the
18th of August with light trade zephyrs. which
continued eighteen days till she reached the Mem
zikoff group, which lie in n. lat. 10; E. long.
1879 2O. From thence to Ualan or Strong's
Island the vessel had a succession of Gains, squalls
and head winds, with an easterly current, where
they arrived Sept. 9Th, but were not able to enter
the harbor till the 18th, andi it is doubtful whether
they could then have entered but for the aid Of
Capt. Lawrence Of the whale ship Com. Norris,
who sent three of his boats TO tow the packet in.
Capt. Lawrence put into Strong's Island to repair
a leak.
The Mission families stationed on this island
were found well and not suffering for want of
supplies, as would have been the case had they
not fortunately procured some from ships. They
had not, however. had any letters or publications
from abroad for nearly t,oo gears. Their JOY on
the arrival of the Missionary packet can therefore
be readily imagined.
The arrival of the Morning Star at this time
gems to have been providential, and tended to
allav the anxiety and excitement with which the
Missionaries had been oppressed night and day
for two months. 1t appears that a sort of fAibus-
ter-tcar was raging between some old resident
Rotuuna men, assisted by some white men, against
the Russians, as the natives OF Strong's Island
styled themselves. These Rotuma men are from
the island of Rotuma, situated south of the equa-
tor, and are considered superior and more ener-
getic than the Strong's Islanders, and have
always entertained the idea of some day subju-
eating the neighboring islands. The conflict is
said to have been commenced in this manner.
The Rotumas had long been collecting arms
and ammunition, and had intimated that they
would take the island, or that their countrvmen
would come and doit. Early in July last, they
planned TO have a grand feast, about the Sth, in
the house OF enc Covert, an American, and for
merly mate of ship wrecked on that island. A
little previous TO the day of the feast, the king
learned through the wives of some of the Rotumas
that they had spent much time putting their mus
kets in order and that on the day or night
after the feast, they intended to fall upon the
chiefs and their adherents, murder them and the
Ao'AO NE LIN e"NC tCS1SNoioh u tlC SldIlu. 1
The king, therefore. very early on the feast day.
sent armed men to the houses of part of these
Rotuma men, and found they had already started.
mushets IN hand, for the feast ; but in their houses
were found and seized seventeen muskets. several
kegs of powder. and q large number of cartridges.
His men also pursued and killed FIVE of the Rotu-
mas, and the Others took refuge in Coyert's house,
where he and his partner, Johnson, an English
man, defended them, as they said, because they
were their guests and like them, breathed out
threatenings and slaughter against the Kusaians,
who, on the other hand, were watching night and
day to catch and kill any who came out, trying
also 10 burn the house. A few other Americans
were at first enticed to join the rebel PARTY and
entered the feast house, but when it was found
they would not engage in the fight, t ley were
sent out. The foreigners, though closely besieged
by the kings men, and scant Of provisions, hoped
to hold out till a ship should arrive whose crew
would espouse their cause, when they expected to
be able somehow to rid themselves and the island
of chiefs, and of the Missionaries, who had OPP
posed some of their plans. But Capt. Lawrence,
who arrived simultaneously, after having heard
the whole story, told them they could receive no
aid from his ship. Being thus foiled in their
hope Of succor, they were glad to get out of the
scrape as easily as they could. Hence. soon after
the arrival of the Morning Star, Covert as their
leader. had a pariey with the king on board the
packet, in the presence of Captains Moore and
Lawrence and the Missionaries.
The king, finding the flibusters at his mercy,
declared that none of them should leave Coyert's
house unless they would previously s~tipulate that
they would all leave the island as soon as practi-
cahIa nurin1 tho ravn1t IN, fhraa Nv 60. oc
the Russians had been killed by Covert's party,
and they had declared that nothing short of the
kings head would satisfy them. But as they
now saw that he was firm, and that their hope
from the shipping was likely to prove abortive,
although his terms were very CALLING, they were
compelled to accept them, and were then allowed
to dispose of their property.
Up to this period the Missionaries here, owing
70 their fears for the result Of this contest, were
unwilling to have their supplies landed from the
vessel, except a few for immediate use, and did
not feel that both families could go to the gen.
eral meeting. though anxious to do SO. The dis
turbance having been settled. their supplies were
landed, and they prepared to go with the vessel,
leaving Kanoa with his family in charge of the
station. At their urgent request, four Of the
leading Rotumas were taken to Ascension,
1t being thought they could do little II any harm
on Ponape and a few weeks after, Capt. L. took
off the two white men and all the others whom
the king deemed dangerous.
The schooner left Strong's Island Sept. Is, ar
irving at Shalong, on Ascension Island, the Odd,
and was boarded by DIR. Gulick when entering
the harbor. All the Mission families were in their
usual health, though several of their number were
feeble, and though quite out of provisions, they
had not suffered seriously for want of supplies.
Their joy, however, on the arrival of such a
vessel for tho use of the Mission, with ample sup
plies and a reinforcement, seemed unbounded.
All the stations in Micronesia give evidence Of
progress. 1t appears in diverse ways, but chiefly