The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-04-12
Massacre of the Crew of a New Bedford
Whaler.

WntItTs
The telegraph has announced the massacre
of the crew ofthe New Bedford whaling ship
Superior, Capt Woods, by the natives of
Treasury Island in the Solomon Group. All
that is known Of the affair is contained in
letter addressed to the Sydney Herald, by
Capt Hugh Mair. We copy his account
II beg to inform you that | anchored at
Rubiana (Solomon's Island on the 10th of
November, and on the following day the
schooner Ariel arrived at the same place, ,hav
ing touched at Treasury Island three days
previously. The mate OF the Ariel told me
that he had reasons to believe that the Amer
ican whaling ship Superior, of New Bedford,
had been taken at the last named place. |
thereupon Immediately got under weigh and
proceeded to Treasury Island, where the ma
tives, as usual, came on board in consdera-
bic numbers, and during the who le day were
coming and going, but did not offer anything
for sale. This gave rise to increased suspic-
ion, and finding but too much ground for my
misgivings, called one of their chiefs into
the cabin, and told him that knew Of their
having taken the ship and murdered the
crew, and that il was no use for him to de-
ny the fact. The man then confessed that it
was the case, but said he had no hand in it,
which aiterward found out to be partly
true. The next day the natives brought part
of the ships sails and several more articles
which they wanted to sell among the rest
the ships log book That day | found ou,
that six of the crew were prison ers upon the
island. and at once SET about irving to get
possession of them. For three days more
cruised eff the island, having the natives
backward and forward during tiat time. |
went to the beach occasionally. and could see
the men, but on every occasion they were
strong y guarded None of the principal ma
ti,es coming on board, as last resource
one of the head chiefs. | put him in irons,
al next morning | took him ashore, and a.
gam offered the natives TO pay them for the
men. Inev agreed at last to let me have one.
who. on coming to my boat. gave me the
dreadful intelligence that the whole crew of
the Superior, with the exception of himself
and FIVE others. had been murdered aud the
ship burnt. Ii seems there are two chiefs
implicated -Copan, the head man, and Amer
lea, the ncx, My prisoner being reia; We
to America, resolved to keep him until |
got the other two men that chief had and
was finally successful after a great deal of
trouble. The three men, however whom Co
pan had possession Of, could not get either
By persuasion or by threats. At night pro-
cecded to the anchorage where tn, ship had
been taken. ard remained there two days.
saw no natives. but found the ships lib-
|, .i
burnt timber, slaves, &c.
The bark Superior made Treasury Island
on tie l2,h o. September, 1860. and came tc
anchor there on the same day. On the 18Th
l4lh and 18th Of that month the crew wer,
employed in wooding and watering, and from
the mems statements were visited by grea
number cf natives. On Sunday, the 10th
nine of the crew went ashore. The carpen
ter and two men went to the settlement ant
were murdered in one of the native huts.-
The natives then proct edeI, in canoes and 0
land fell in with the remaining SIX close t
: the beach, and murdered them. About l5'
: natives got on board the vessel AID made
s rush on the crew, who were all on deck eX
cept four who were in bed. Those on dec
were Immediately tomahawked, only two es
d Gaping by Jumping down the main hatchway
S and Joining the four below in the forecastl.
! One of the crew whom | recovered saw tn
, captain and second mate murdered by a na
tive called Billy who had been to SYDNEY
/ and speaks English we'll The chief, Copal
y was tie principal in this dreadful massacr,
$ The SIX men below being armed with lance
: h,.y y,ntI ha fnr
castle. until at last Billy told my informar
r that if they came up they should not be hur
., At length. therefore, they did SO, and were
a once surrounded, and. by the chief Copan,o
Il dered to be put to death. The chief offere
to buy three of the men, and persuaded c.
Z pan to keep the other three to till the groun'
l. These three, as have already intimated,
2. could not recover.
:; The three men on board my vessel sa
they were we'll treated by the chief, Americ
3" and they tell mt that the native Billy W;
ID at the taking of the schooner Pearl, where
,e am now at anchor, about eighteen month
=, before this happened 1t is said that he wei
~ ', over to Treasury Island in the Superior, al
u had az opportunity of seeing that there We
II no arms kept there being only seven o
- flint guns, and none of them loaded VIII,
90 the ship was taken. Twenty-sx men we
:. butchered in cold blood, among whom was
VI poor lad ten years Of age-the crew consi:
y, ing of thirty-two souls when she anchore
of The natives took five boats, with a quaint
~ of cordage and sails, which were ali cut U
- and everything else was destroyed by settil
VI the ship on fire. HUGH MAIR.
III Kubiana, Solomon Island, Nov. 30.
Id