The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-11

on board six men--old and young-0stenslbly
placed in the hold the captain SET SAL for another
part OF the island, taking Brown with him TO induce
the natives TO come on board; But he was unsuc,
cesslu and IN the night the chief took his departure
ana returned to his own part Of the island.
we then sailed to an island named Aaiicoio
who came swimming out to meet us. bringing plenty
OF cocoanuts with them tied upon sticks In the WA
tef. some OF them came on board the boats. whiie
6ering twentyone. many of them bringing their
clubs and Implements Of war with them. They were
mysteries Of the hold When the vee set sail the
canoes were cut adrift and we bore away from the
island The trires or some or these men scam az
ter me ship ron more than three mites, crying
i0udig.for the restoration or heir husbands.
We then went TO Mutlow Island, where we got a
stopped over nS to wood ~ n S sde
their escape during the darkness, except two In
the morning the captain called the watch aud asked
them why they had allowed the islanders to escape
The men declared that they had not seen one Of
them go away. For this neglect OF duty the captain
stopped their coee for two days, AZ he said he had
We then touched at Bur Bur, where the boat went
ashore and brought on nine men, who came to trade
and were secured In the hold while the boat went
ashore again. But this second time it as only for
tuna'e enough 70 get one man, who jumped over
board and swan ashore before they could bring him
to the vessel.
After touching at many other Islands and getting
men In the same way TO the number OF ITO. we
called at an island the name OF which l forget
where we got six men on board out OF "a canoe; but
the chief Immediately came on and demanded their
liberation. The captain, on seeing the canoes as
sembling, and the natives armed, gathering on the
beach, thought IL best to comply with his demand.
However, TO chastse them for their opposition, lie
manned boat carrying six muskets and four re-
volvers and sent II to chase the natives who retired
to the beach and drew up some OF their canoes on
the shore. The BOATS cYeD then n ed into the huis
,chicl contained the toomen sunk some Qrthe canoes
along TIE shore ana then returned to the ship.
:. We afterwards called at Mare Island but the ma
w m Niuil rod nNd
English, and consequently 1t would have been dan
gerous to attempt kidnapping there. We then sailed
the snereS severely is' om sea
the Maliic0H men In particular touched nothing for
four days. The captain tried to induce them to eat
by standing over them with thick stick, threatening
to thrash them II they refused. Many OF them were
attacked with dysentery, and after passage Of six
days we came into Moreton Bay, where we remained
about twentyone out VI the ITO natives VINO left the
islands with US. IsMMAEL WILLIAMSON.
GRAY.
JIMNA, August, 1858.
Statements similar to the above are constantly
ceptlon.
natives on the plantations shows that, fairly in
the hands OF their masters, all hopes OF getting
eSceP ~, Ss es Out ~ 81 ,ng hac
the Islands that have taken place hitherto land they
bear no appreciable proportion to the number OF i'm
portat0ns demonstrates that either the natives
too happy to care to return or that they power
less to do But there Is clear proof that they do
not stay because they are contented ana 1t equally
well established that they do not go back
because their masters, when once they have
got the unhappy men In their clutches ignore the
quasi contract and keep them at any hazard. As q
general thug the natives totally ignorant or the
term OF labor specified III the agreement; but 1t mat
tiers little whether they do or not. The inspectors
never interfere against the slave owners and many
plantations visited. Even II they are visit
ed the natives afforded opportunity Of telling
their wrongs through an Interpreter, and the So
called .rgd supervision OF the relations existing be-
tween the employer and employed" Is purely an
empty form.
Brisbane accompanied with Interpreters, have visit
ed the plantations nearest the coast, and although
the way Of their Obtaining Information, pretty "
clear idea OF the position Of the natives has been
arrived at. These plantations are, OF course,
the most humanely worked, owing to their
proximity to the chief centres OF population and the
condition OF the islanders Is reported 10 be infinitely
superior what 1t IL in The INTERIOR Yet even here
the natives are In most wretched and miserable
plight Take for instance, authentic report OF the
state Of the Islanders ON large sugar plantation hot
work at six O'Clock in the morning and toll, with
only an hours internlsSion, until half-past five In
seers and Kept constantly to their Work. The wh,p
ID only used on extreme occasions, but stoppage Of
food Is frequently resored to az punishment in OBJ
large shed. seventy-fect long aud twenty-five feet
wide, thus allowing each human being about
six square feet Of shelter. number OF them at the
time Of the visit employed In breaking up some
new ground with spades and rs they are allowed
spade into the soil. me only clothing OF any kind
issued to them two shirts and two pairs OF pan
falcons year. These, OF course wear out long be-
fore the arrival OF the next annual supply and con-
sequently most OF the islanders were seen tOing
an almost state OF nudity, their only covering
ioIns. Tney would have looked Infinitely better
clothed In grde OF ng leaves The chief grievance
OF the men, however, appeared TO be hunger. They
stated that the allowance Of food made to them was
altogether insufficient; many times they said, they
had consumed their three days rations In single
day. This Is by no means q fair sample OF the
general run OF Queensland plantations. The natives
are In this case comparatively happily situated
Those who have seen the more remote plantations
one Just described IL bliss itself. BY the time the
planter has got his men to the back country they
have cost HIM good deal Of money and he Of once
OF "usng up" has been revived to great extent
among these pioneers OF civilization, and they do
their BEST by means Of incessant toll, insufficient
food and hard usage generally TO exhaust from the
bodies OF their slaves In few years the vitality that
would have lasted out q lifetime.
There IL, OF course, legal fiction TO the erect that
the meu get wages. But their wages are never paid
until the expiration OF q contract which the plant
ers are too smart TO allow ever TO terminate But
even in the few cases where they are paid, the
amount Is shamefully small. The contracts are gen.
orally worded TO give thirty dollars year. food and
clothing. The clothing consists only OF the two shirts
and two pairs OF pantalo0ns before alluded TO- and
the rations rarely include animal food. Bread fruit
has recently been introduced by the planters, and
IN due course OF time, this will probably be the sole
fare OF their bondmen.
The only real distinction between the Polynesian
labor scheme and the old slavery system Is that In
the former the women have been hitherto spared.
This. however Is very questionable advantage, and
the planters have already proposed 70 import female
their pet scheme fairly going they VIII lose time
in perpetuatlng the race Of their slaves And even
now, Il Is said, few women have been intr oduced
They will also be utilized for Industrial prpOscs and
will form the only requirement now wanting 70 the
permanence OF the slave system recently naugurateu
Unless some speedy check be placed upon the pro-
gress OF this new scheme for the development Of
Northern Australia 1t Is inevitable that quarter OF
q century hence the northern colonies VIII be the
great slavery centre OF the world.
In order to corroborate the statements given above
append the following extracts on this subject from
the most responsible and trustworthy and, next to
the Melbourne Argus the most influential and widely
circulated OF Australian Journals the sydney MORN
ing Herald. IL will be seen from these that the ac-
counts given In this article IA basel upon the test
mony OF Australians themselves, and that the Ian
vnuu nd hua banp M afr nat pfo