The Shasta courier., 1859-05-07
CannibaIs Still Exist,

Ureck ofthe 81. Paul and Massacre of her Pas
se'lgers.-Ths il-fated vessel, says the Freeman's
Journal of January Goth, left Hong-kong for
Sydney, with three hundred and twenty-seven
Chinese passengers, and on the night of 30th
September was totally wrecked on the Island of
Rossel. Captain Pennard, her commander. and
eight of his crew, left the island in one of the
boats, to endeavor to make the land and obtain
assistance, and were picked up by the Prince of
Denmark, schooner, on the 18th of October in
side Sir Everard Homes Group, and conveyed
to New Caledonia. Immediately on learning the
news of the disaster, the authorities at New CAL
edonia dispatched the French steamer Styx to
ascertain the fate of those left on the island.
The Styx arrived in Sydney On Tuesday even
ing, having left Rossel on the Sth inst, and
brings the horrifyiRg intelligence that the whole
OF the passengers and remainder of the crew had
been killed by the natives with the exception of
one Chinese who has been brought to Sydney,
and who has furnished the following account of
the massacre:
The ship went on shore during the night :
when daylight broke we landed by the boats on
an island. The captain left in his boat with some
OF the crew, and we were not disturbed by the
natives for month after he was gone; they
then came over from the mainland, distance
| about three-quarters of mile, and made at
tack on US. Some of us had depble-barrelled
carbines, but we got frightened, and threw them
away. The only white man left with US, after
the departure of Capt. Pennard, was a Greek
who, having armed himself with a cutlass
fought desperately, and killed q great many O.
the natives before he was overpowered. They
then took all our clothing, etc., which the party
destroyed. Any vafGabies that they found suct
4 as sovereigns, rings etc., they placed in ne
bag which each man carried about his neck. A
night we were placed in the center of clea
| piece of ground and fires lit in several places
| the natives keeping a regular watch over US
and during the day they would select four or iv,
| Chinese, and after killing them, roast the flesh
and eat it, what was not consumed being de
posted in their nets.
Their mode of proceeding was as follows =
The victims being decided upon, they were taller
out and beaten all over excepting the head
with kind of club, and then dispatched by
ripping the stomach open. The body was ther
cut up in small pieces, and divided, the fingers
toes and brains being eagerly sought after the
bones were then collected and either burnt OF
i thrown away. l saw ten Of nay fellow-passen-
gers killed in this way. Every day they brought
US cocoa nuts, or some wild roots to eat, and
appeared to be quite friendly with US. This state
of things continued until | was taken off the
island. When left, there were only four Chi
nese and the Greek alive, all the rest having
| been killed. saw these five the day the steamer
4 came in sight, hut when the natives saw the
boats coming on shore, they took them up the
mountains. | was sick and lame and they would
not carry me, so that watched my opportunity
and contrived to conceal myself among the rocks
until the boats came on shore