Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-01-04
NUMBER 80.
Murder Of n ssiOnarics in the South
Sea Islands:

The mail steamer Moses TAYLOR, which,
arrived at San Francisco from Austria
lia on the Sd of December, brings the
following exciting news:
On October 31st the astounding in
telligencc was ieceived in Auckland,
New Zealand, Of the muriei nf bishop
Patterson, of the Melanesian mission,
Rev. Mr.. Atkins and native, while on
tha customary cruise on the missionary
schooner Surthern Cross among the
South Sea Islands. The circumstances
attending the murder will best be given
in the words of Captain Jacob, of the
missionary schooner
During Mr.. Atkins stay at Wonga he
was speaking to the Captain of the En-
ma Bell, who told him he was going to
Santa Cruz for labor: This news made
the Bishop very uneasy, as he very
we'll knew that if vessel went there
mischief would result from it. He
made up his mind to go to the Reef
Islands and ascertain if any vessels bad
heen about. On the 18th Of September
u.1.ie Santa Cruz very light winds.
September 20, light winds "ff Nukapu.
About four miles distant saw FIVE OF SIX
canoes coming out When within a
mile or two from the vessel they lay to.
We thought it strange they did not
come al0nside i; on former occasions
they would have been alongside and
have boarded us six or seven miles off
the land. The Bishop had the boat
lowered and went to them. (This was
the last we saw of him alive) 1t being
low water, the boat could not go over
the ieGf: The bishop, as it was usual
for him to do, got into a canoe and
went on shore, accompanied by the two
chiefs, Taula and Moth, the remain
ing four canoes remaining with the boat.
About the time the bishop would have
got on shore, the native in the canoes
attacked the boat, firing several arrows
at the crew before they could get the
boat out of shot. Mr.: Atkins was hit
IL the back of shoulder Stephen, a
native of Eouso; had six arrows in him
-one in his breast; John, a native of
Mota, shot in the side. The boat made
for the Bessie, and we got the wound
ed out of her, Mr.. Brooks looking after
them: ! Immediately sent Mr.. Bou-
gard (mate) Wish three of our crew and
two black boys, Mr.. Atkins acting as
pilot (for none of our people knew any
thing about the place, to see bfter the
bishop. I told them to kee eP outside
the reef till they were sure they had
plenty of water to cross, then pull to-
ward the shore, and keep out Of GROW
shot, and if they saw the bishop not to
60 IN. All this time the Bessie was be-
calmed. Shortly after the boat left the
vessel breeze spfung mp, and I work
ed the vessel close to the boat. no that
her presence might intimidate the ia
tives from attacking the boat. We saw
the natives put off in two canoes from
shore. One Of them they turned adrift;
the other went back to the shore. Pres
emily the boat went toward the drifting
canoe, and found the dead body of the
bishop in her, rolled up in a native
mat. A small branch of the cocoanut
palm, with five kncta, was stuck in the
mat. What the palm with the knots
meant, we could not tell. He was strip
ped OF his clothes, his head frightfully
smashed, and several wounds in the
body.
It is quite certain that some vessel
has been here ill-using the natives, a
very short time previous to our coming,
or they never would have killed this
bishop. Every year he called at this
place he would give the chiefs and peo-
pie presents, and remain aconsidera-
BILE part of the day on shore with
them"