The Republican journal., 1872-10-03
A Horrible Traffic,

Many of our readers will remember the
account year or more ago OF a massacre
of 4 white settlement at Tanna. in the
Nayigators' islands, by the natives. As
down to that time the reports of visitors
to the islands of the South Pacific had
been unanimous rs t. the kindness. gen
crosby and hospitality of the natives of
this particular group, there was difficulty
in accounting for SO sudden and ferocous
an outbreak. The British government. un-
der whose auspices the settlement of Tan
IA had been made, despatched a man-of-
war to that harbor for the purpose OF as
cerlaining the fact in the case and de-
mand PREPARATION. II was diScovere 4
upon investigation that the maSsacre was
hardly to be accounted Tor on the ground
OF the natural bloodthirstiness of the ma
| tiyes, but that good cause existed for the
hostile feelings which resulted in the I'M
fortunate outbreak. 1t appears that for the
past five years a regular system OF kid
| mapping the inhabitants of the islands had
been carried on, resembling the African
slave trade in its worst features. These
dIaboliell acts have been perpetrated by
owners of British vessels, and the island
ers seized by them carried to English col
onies in Queensland or those in Fiji and
Tahiti where they have been sold in pre-
ciSply the same manner as cattle. Since
1865 this horrible traffic has largely in
creased, driving the natives to such pitch
OF terror and desperation that they look
upon AL whites rs their enemies alike. and
see peace and safety only in their annihi :
lation or expulsion from the islands of the
group An American traveller who re
manned for several months at one of the
settlements. gives an account of the man
ner in which these Outrages upon the pop
ulatjnn are perpetrated.
The vessels devoted to the traffic come
close in shore and east anchor for the
oStensiblc purpose Of procuring water or
fruit and hold out remarkable induce
mcntS to The islanders to trade. If a
hundred or moro can be cntc-,d on board
they are seized and crowded into the hold,
and III once the vessel sets sail for port
determined upon for the market. When
the ma ives seemed too Shy and suspicious
anotnnr programme is substituted. In
tie dead Of night 4 party of forty or fifty
sailors, fully armed and provided with
kerosene SWabS, are rOWed silently to the
shore. A hurried march is made to the
nearest village. the hutS surrounded. and
the lighted Kerosene sw3hS thrown into
the dry thatch, which is ahl;lzc in an in
slant The wrctched creatures within.
aroused hv the flames and the shouts of
the aSsailantS, rush terror stricken int ,
| the open air, only TO be SEIZED bound.
and hurrcllv driven to the boats Those
who attempt resistance are either manned
or killed outright. while the women are
driven into the boats like sheep. and
treated in the most horrible manner when
on board the vessel. The little children
are left to Staryo or. if too annoying in
their cries after their parents. knocked on
the head. These facts. which have been
fully substantiated by investigation since
made by the British government, seemed
to us good and sufficient reason for the
feeling Of the islanders towards white
settlers aud visitors. Surely. hcathcniSm
in its worst state is infinitely better than
barhlr0uS civilization. L will rejoice our
readers to know that there is 4 strong
prospect Of the early wiping ont of this
traffic. The English government has de-
/ termined to end in and vigorous cruis-
inc of the South Pacific bv English men
ot-War is now toing on with good results
The latest English mails bring us news
OF the capture of one of the kidnapping
vessels. and it is not unlikely that others
will he seized before the trade is broken
up. we trust i short shrtt will be given
to the crew anA captain, and an example
made sufficiently severe to n sudden and
permanent close. Boston Globe.