The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-03-30
TIE PACIFIC
Commercial AOOrrtisrr.
SATURDAY. 30.
The INT CrnI-e OF INC ~

ers IN Of labor - from the Fjfs and Queensland. lie
saw quite sufficient to convince him that the poor
natives hal been ia a great majority 81 cases. treated
Iu a most inhumrn and trelcherous manner by man
-rstiers, carrying the flag Of a civilized nation, aud
be- li hi best Co. put a stop to their nef.rious pro-
ceiling Sill further 10 advance this desirable end
Iy drawing public attention to the subject, on his
return O, England last year, he published a volume
in London, with the significant title Of " Kidnapping
ia the South Seas which was noticed in this journal
go November last. In his intercourse with the
natives d the u Trreut islands which be visited dur
ing bis cruise, Captain Palmer appears to have
treated them with thoughtful consideration. and to
have had no difficulties or collisions with even the
most savage tribes, but always left a good impression
behind. Such men, in command Of national vessels,
are an honor to their profession and highly useful
agents in the cause Of humanity and civilization.
During several months past, the Ros1yio has
made another cruise amongst the groups Of the
south Pacific, bat unfortunately this time not under
the command Of Captain Palmer, and her record on
this cruise i one Of FIRE and bIoOIsheI. Commander
Markham started on his cruise with the avowed
purpose II " inqairing into and r,Iressing griev-
ances,' aud be appears to have done so with rifles,
shells, aud fre-brands. One account says that be-
tween fifty and a hundred OF the wrctched natives
we're killed at the island where Bishop Pttteson was
Ialrtyrei. IL will be remembered now, how the
llmenteI Patteson himself, but a short time before
his death, in words Of almost prophetic significance,
earnestly plead that no such bloody revenge should
be inflicted on his account. In Captain Palmer's
book, to which we have referred above, occurs a
paragraph, which We reproduce As being pertinent
ia this connection
" Unfortunately our men-of-war are too often sent
mp amongst the islands to shell some native settle
ment in return for the massacre OF "a boats crew,
brought about by the yIlIluy and n UIcIOuS cruelty
OF white traders. Only one side Of the question is
ever heard, and the consequence - that many limo
cent people suffer-
In the Sydney Morning Herald, of the 10th ult,
We find the following report Of the last cruise of the
Rosario, (Which however omits any account of the
number Of natives kiIed). The civilized world will
be likely to inquire, what good has been accomplished.
Tie evil. will remain for whoever may be so %unfortu-
nate as to call at the islands, or be wrecked upon
them. to find out.
III. VI. ). ROsarf0 arrived in Port Jackson on the
evening of Sth instant. On 18th October last she
sailed from this port on a cruise amongst the various
islands in the Southern Pacific, for the purpose of in
quiFing into and redressing many stated grievances.
Her first place Of call was Norfolk Island, and there
Commander Markham was informed Of the murder Of
Bishop Patteson. The next port made was Hayannah
HIrbor, one of the New Hebriles, looking i'll at
Nguna, Apia, and Cherry Islands. At the latter
place he remained two days, where communication
was established with the natives and inquiries insti-
AhNNA ANoh'~NAh6 az ANBbAANA HNAf-~A VI opAc HAAtN T.
traders, but no satisfactory information was obtained
she then sliIed for Nukapu, Santa Cruz Group, ar
irving on the Doth November. This was this the
scene Of the murder of Bishop Pttteson and the Rev.
Mr.. Aitkiu. Captain Markham's object was to com
municlte with the natives respecting the affair. The
RosaTt9's boat had reached within fifty yards of the
main when the natives commenced a war-dance, and
shortly afterwards sent n shower Of arrows, which all
fell short Of the boat, which returned to the ship to
report the affair The boat again was ordered in,
and the ship cleared for action, and opened fire with
shell from the 1-IuCl gun and the AZ UOuuleF Arm
strong under cover Of which the boats crew kept up
"A smart fire from their rifles. The ship then steamed
round the island. and, when abreast Of the village,
hrel on IT with shell at 300 yards range. At 4 p.
". the tide being well up, the boat crossed the reef
and advanced on the village witt small arms, the
ship throwing in shell at 1000 yards. The natives
during this time kept "A continuous fire Of arrows on
the advancing boats. the crews ultimately anding
driving the natives inland from the beach. Here
Corporal Marcus was struck by an arrow, the wound
proving fatal and in the rush ON the village two
seImen were also hit, but not dangerously. The vii
lage was fortified with stOnework, thrown up in front
at each house, but the natives were driven out, aud
their habItations set on fire. Their canoes were also
destroyed The boat then returned to the ship, and, as
they were leaving, the natives were seen 1t work ex-
tinguishing the flames. The Rosario then proceeded
10 Cape Paterson, arriving ON the 9th December
here the natives proved most friendly. On the fol-
lowing day the Rosario left for EspiritO SdntO, and
made the Island on the 10Th. and the boats crews
landed ut 4 village named BISsalIi, where 1t was
known that two men belonging TO the schooner HId
Duck had been killed. The natives took to the fast
nesses OF the mountains. but their settlement was
burnt. The next place visited was ManikOlo, which
was reached on the oath December. Here, again, the
natives proved most hospitabe, and readily bartered
such supplies ~ the island AFFORDED. The cruise was
then continued among the islands Of the New Hebrides
and Banks Group. On December 9th, called at
Aurora Island, and, as the natives appeared very
friendly, a boat WAS sent ashore. Paymnster Hill
had Just got out and sat down on the beach. when one
IF the natives dubbed him, inHicting two severe
wounds. The men took to the boat, and the ship
commenced to she'll the village. which caused an i'm
mediate flight of the inhabitants The village was
destroyed, also the canoes left III the evening for
Tauua. The Rosario finally sailed for New Caledo-
mia. leaving NOumea on the 18th ultimo. From
thence the passage has been made under canvas" {
Had the Rosario's last cruise been directed in
search Of the kiduappers Of the South Seas
whose piratical proceedings aud outrages upon the
natives have been the undoubted cause of their
retaliatory acts, some service might have been done
in the cause Of humanity. As it is, Commander
Markham has only ~exempliied the proyerb that
g two wrongs don't make one right
In the same paper in which we find the above, is
an account Oft schooner fallen in with at sea recently,
near the coast of Australia, and flowed into port by
IL. L. NJ ship BasiIrsk. She was waterlogged and
completely : Quilted " of everything. No clue to the
name orplace where she belonged could be discovered.
On board were found fourteen South Sea Islanders, in
various stages Of starvation, and also three dead
bodies. The white crew had evidently abandoned
the vessel and their wretched captives, to 60 to the
bottom. There was neither food or water on board.
When the schooner was brought into port, the mag =
istrate of the place CCardwelD with a Polynesian
interpreter endeayored to communicate with the
natives, but they could not be made to understand
They were perfect skeletons Two of the most intel
lgent, pointing at each other, repeated the word I
g Solomon leading to the impression that they !
came from the Solomon group of islands. The vessel
had no boat, the helm was dashed down, her sails
were all bent, and marked Auckland, and she was
evidently New Zealand built. On board were found
articles of trade, consisting Of hatchets, knives. 2