The New York herald., 1872-11-16
SOUTH SEA SLAVERY.
Fiendish Atrocities Of the labor Cruisers" Of
Australia and FIJI.
From the Melbourne Argus.I

British ship, sailing under the British flag, was,
the 10th OF August, brought before the Water
Police Court, sydney, TO which port he and the
brig and some Of the crew had been sent from Le
vuka, FIJI, by captain Douglas, OF Her Majesty's
ship Cossack. The charge made that OF
murder. DR.. J. p. Murray, who ap-
pointed by the Victorian government local
health ollcer at Sandhurst during a recent
/ outbreak OF smallpox there, and who is said
to have discharged the duties OF that ONCE courage
ously and well, gave evidence at the Police Court
to the following efect:-In June, 1871 the Carl was
owned by himself and was mortgaged to firm in
Melbourne. During the month named she left this
port Tor Levuka. Dr. Murray LETT in the Carl, ship
ping as surgeon. and, on arriving at Levuka, the
captain, who brought her there from Mel
bourne, having left, he appointed Armstrong,
who had shipped as mate, IN his stead. Arm
strong, as master OF the brig, obtained authority
to go on 'lahor cruse'' from Mr. March, the
British Consul at Levuka, ana the brig then left
DR.. Murray going with her. They proceeded on a
kidnapping cruise among the islands scattered
about In that part OF the southern seas. After
visiting few without obtaining any 'laborn
they anchored or the Island OF Maakolo boat
was despatched there to look for better anchorage,
whereupon some Of the natives discharged arrows
at the men in it. Some canoes with natives who
were trading with the Carl were round about,
In retaliation" for the arrows. Nearly
all the natives jumped overheard, and one OF the
briggs boats picked up twelve thirteen OF them,
who were put in the hold. The natives VINO were
not picked up escaped to the shore, some OF them
wounded The brig then sailed to the Solomon
Group, and of Santa Anna some natives came out
to trade in their canoes. When these canoes were
alongside heavy pieces OF iron thrown into
some OF them by the captain and crew. OF course
the canoes were thus upset, and the briggs boat be-
ing again lowered twelve or thirteen more natives
were captured and put in the hold. The pieces of
iron were not wasted as they were fastened to the
brig by long ropes. This occurred about half or a
quarter OF mile from shore, to WhI eli the canoes
and natives not destroyed or taken returned. or
the Island of Isabella other canoes came out
trading and were upset in the same way, and
about ten more natives were caught. "They came
on board almost voluntarily" says the doctor; ana
sin throwing the iron care was taken that none of
them were injuredn All these natives were put
into the hold and If they showed no disposition 10
fight they were allowed on deck in a day or two.
At the Florida Group four or five more men
were captured in the same way, and then the brig
sailed for Bougainvile, an island densely inhabited
caught but, unlike the Others they resisted very
much" The whole OF the natives were then put
into the brig's hold, and some fortyeight hours
after the capture OF the Bougainvilieans they all
commenced lighting about seven O'Clock in the
the ship; the others tried to prevent them, and
that appears to have caused the fghting. Every
Whte MAN MS on 'He board I'll their sn
In about quarter of an hour they were
fired on with guns and reyolvers by the
before, but who now thirsted for blood like wild
beasts. ''rhe firing" says DR.. Murray, "was di-
Guns and revolvers were used. Everybody fired.
am not sure whether Captain Armstrong fired. |
The firing and 1ghting lasted all night When the
| natives stopped In the least every effort was made
| ing some OF the bars of the hatchway The fight
! ing was kept up at intervals ali night. The firing
could not be said to have ceased until the morning
I n
white men. No positive orders were given by any
one. The general alarm being given, every one
| hatch. Some of us carried arms with us, but most
often arms were kept in the cabin. During the
night the friendly natives had been admitted on
deck through the fore and ait hatches. Some few
of them that could not be got up remained below.
killed and wounded were taken out Of the hold and
put on deck. The captain was giving directions.
About seventy dead and wounded 6 natyes were
we're were , either , kiiIed ,, Or wounded; sEs.r, The
could not say definitely who gave the directions
| The wounded natives were also thrown overheard.
never could ascertain whether positive orders
| were given for them to he thrown overheard l
think 1t was done with the general will OF the
whites | endeavored to get their lives spared
suggested that they should be put on an island
but the general feeling was against doing that.
We're aeoat y e ann aoUn s .wsh hy
were stu alive. My attention was not dl-
rected particularly to the prisoner Armstrong.
could not swear positively what he was doing
at the time the dead and dying were thrown
overheard, ] was desirous or saving the lives Of
! the wounded natives. appealed TO the mass not
I to Armstrong specially as master. The mass, OF
/ gagged in one common object. could not say with
l certainty that the captain heard my appeal TO
| the wounded. He was In a position TO hear me- !
| spoke loudly. Everybody seemed excited. and did
not appear to know exactly what they were doing
/ No one appeared to take the lead. The throwing
| OF the wounded overheard was the Joint action OF
! ALL did not look at the wounded as a medical
man, but l looked casually at some OF them. 1t
I took but few moments. They must have been
deck O quarter OF an hour or twenty minutes before
they were thrown overheard. The wounded and
dead were not mixed. There was no discussion as
! to whether the wounded should be thrown over
board. 1t was spontaneous movement. heard
| went forward that might not see 1t done. II was
the general feeling that that was the best way TO
dispose OF them. There was general cry for them
| to be thrown overheard lsaw some OF the wounded
some OF them were tied. They we're tied when
together could not say how many the wounded
we're tied. do not know Tor what particular OBJ
! feet they were tied. They did not resist The hold
was cleaned and got in order. II was whitewashed,
and efforts were made 10 obliterate the powder and
i captains directions. We were probably twenty
miles from land when this occurred.i In another
part OF his evidence DR.. Murray states specifically
that he assisted in the firing. None OF the
| islands at which the brig touched are under any
Enropean an sia5e or rower IN n tne
that he had been dangerously wounded by an
arrow, but that his mind had not been affected IN
consequence, and, in answer to the Bench, he
stated that all the crew, except the captain had
an interest in the labor voyage. Besides ther
| wages of &C a month, the seamen got -. per head
Tor every native they brought on to the vessel, the
mate and second mate receiving 80. Cd. more. The
venture was his own, and he paid the capitation
| allowances 'IIead money Is one OF the recog
nized forms under which the labor trade Is car
| rieu on. Sometimes tile seamen get no
wages, but los. per head for the natives
| captured.r On the briggs return voyage TO
| LevuKa, DR.. Murray, another white man, and
| twelve natives landed at the Island OF Apia: the
brig then went TO Levuka, where she landed six
| more. These eighteen seem TO have been the only
survivors Of all the natives captured during that
trip. The brig, Armstrong captain, again left Le-
vuka, duly authorized TO continue in the labor
trade by the British Consul there, and picked up
DR.. Murray at Apia, in January last Some Other
islands were visited, ana 100 natives We're cap
tured by much the same method as that employed