The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1874-02-11
Cruise of The snndnx.

H. B. NJ. schooner Sandfy, employed in
the suppression of the slave trade, arrived
in Sydney on the I'd of January, after an
absence of six months amongst the islands.
Amongst the items published of the cruise
we find the following: "The cruise was
continued round the various islands form
ing the Solomon Group and scientific in
formation obtained as to the outlying reefs,
&c. at one part of the coast, off which
the Sandfy anchored, the following Incl
dent occurred THE natives of the hill
or as they are designated, bush tribes, are
at deadly enmity with the beach or shore
natives. The daughter of bush man had
married one of the beach tribe; the father,
anxious to see mis- child, ventured from his
hills, and by stratagem an interview was
effected with his daughter, but during
this interview, the husband suddenly came
on the scene, and at once tomahawked the
parent in the presence of the daughter
The murder took place on the 10th of
September, on which date the Sandfy put
in an appearance The custom of the ma
tives in this locality is, simply TO roast and
eat the bodies of their enemies, and this
was being actually carried out but for the
timely advent of the cruiser. Lieutenant
Novel; learning the particulars, at once
took prompt measures, communicating by
means of an interpreter his intention of
burning the village unless the dead body
was given up. His threats had the desired
effect, and the chief was compelled not
only to bring the corpse alongside, but af-
forwards to tow it to sea and sink it.
This being accomplished, presents were
given to the chief On October 4th, the
schooner arrived at Port Praslin, where
it was found that some eighty canoes, fully
manned, and from a neighboring island,
were busily employed in skull-hunting and
slave-catching. The practice appears to
be that when strong tribe makes foray,
the older branches of the weaker lot are
at once killed and eaten, their skulls being
alone retained, while the children are
seized and taken into slavery; but the
udden appearance of HI. Brit. Ms.
schooner in this instance brought affairs to
a very different termination. Lieutenant
Novel; on the following day manned and
armed the boats, himself proceeding in the
whaler, and placing Mr. Bourd, the gun
ner, in charge of the gig, in which was
fixed rocket tube, The party started at
1 p m. The gig was anchored 800 yards
from the shore, and the rocket tube
brought to bear on the village. Lieuten-
ant Novel; then pulled in, and by means
of the interpreter gave the aggressive
tribe to understand that within an hour
the slaves must be liberated, and the heads
given up, or he would fire the village.
The effect is described as electrical. The
canoes were at once launched, and all the
alive and dead spoil left on the beach, but
to teach lesson, and as wholesome
warning of what might be the result, as
soon as the canoes were well clear of the
gig, rocket was fred across their sterns,
which effected clear stampede. On Lieu
tenant NOVEL; and his party landing, they
found fourteen children whose parents
had been killed, and number of skulls,
some of them being on the fire for the
purpose of removing the flesh. That
night the liberated captives were left in
charge of the principal chief, and the next
day were sent rejoicing to their homes,
with presents of tobacco, pipes, and biscuit
The chief was also compelled to bring all
the skulls alongside the schooner and then
take them out to sea and sink them, and
on his return was presented with some
tobacco. &c. m re1 |
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