The New York herald., 1874-11-07
POLYNESIAN MASSACRES.
SYDNEY, n. s. W., Sc

SYDNEY, N. s. W.. Sept. q, 1874
Checked for q time by the presence Of the nu.
merous neet now maintained in the South Pacific
by the British government, Kanaka massacres
have commenced again at Apii. The natives of
this island have ever been looked upon as among
the most treacherous in Polynesia, as we'll as
being the most irreclatmable cannibals. News
has recently been received that early In July the
trading schooner Zephyr, OF Sydney, called on the
island for supplies, and sent her boat ashore in
charge OF the mate and the captains son. young
man OF eighteen. As they did not return in due
course, the schooner stood closer In and second
boats crew, well armed, went through the reef In
search Of their missing companions. The mates
boat was found smashed and sunk close to the
beach. where there were indications OF desper-
That night the aG0nized father heard the natives
engaged IN the orgies peculiar to their cannlbal
either dead or alive. Next day he iell in
with the trader Loella, and the two vessels
armed boats @ ashore. % the natives Mustered I'm in
force, armed with poisoned arrows, trade musKets,
&C, with which they inenectually endeavored to
prevent landing. Captain Dawson, determined
to know the fate OF hts son at any cost. drove them
back with severe losses, and captured the village
feast EmDoldened by what they thought check
to their asSailants the natives, who had retreated
into the surrounding scrub, resumed firing, which
was brisk!y returned by one portion OF the boats
crews, while the other burned down every hut in
the place, and returned to their vessels This
might have satisfied the Kanakas; but not So Tor
just three weeks later the French schooner Refine
Hortense. having called at the island to buy yams
was attacked by these Unsuitable wresches and had
her mate and seaman killed.
Captain l.. Dawson's Account OF the
Massacre Of Three OF tho Crew of the
Zephyr.
From the Fiji Gevuka) Times Sept 81
L beg to state that arrived at the Island OF Apii
on the oath July and anchored to the northward OF
the foreand for the purpose OF procuring yams
one OF my boats, containing my son John
Dawson and John howiin. mate Of my
vessel together with a Tannaman named
Miackie. we're on shore for this purpose,
trading, and were or village called vackowie
where they had been induced to go by an Apn
native named Tom, returned iaborer from Mary
borough. The boat containing these men had
been absent from ABOUT ten O'Clock, when +. King,
master OF the Lniia cutter belonging TO FUi, came
alongside and informed me that he had been told
men had just been killed short distance from
where he had been trading. This occurred on the
25th inst.
In company with Captain King | immediately
proceeded III search OF my boat and found her
sunk opposite the abovenamed village, but we
were unable to get near her, IN consequence OF
the latiyes opening fire on US with musEets. On
our return 20 the ships Captain King at once got
a g @ advice
Daphne, another Fui vessel anchored some six
miles iurther down the coast On the 26tn inst
the Leila returned In company with the Daphne,
and the masters OF these vessels offered every as
sistance In landing their crews In order to ascer-
tain the fate OF the missing men.
As the vessels were coming TO anchor the ma
tives opened fire with muskets and Snider rihe
that had been taken In the captured boat. The
natives would mold no friendly communication
with the SHIPS, and on the boats being lowered
took to the bush, and were up to a late hour OF
the evening making preparations to remove their
properly from their towns and going into the In
terror.
From these signs 1t was evident that the men
had been massacre6, and that nothing could pc
done for their rescue.
The assistance that vas rendered to me by both
Captain Mcdonald and Captain King was every
thing tbat was or could be expected under the cir
cumstances; and. IN Justice to them. here state
that tue attack upon my boat by the Aptl natives
arose from no connection with their vessels or the
transactions Of their vessels as labor masters.
Captain Mcdonald having recruited no labor at
Apii and CAPTAIN King having procured his some
distance from the place OF attack and lurther
state, TO the best OF my belief, that my boat was
decoysd on shore by the named Tom, d returned
aDorer from marlborough.
L. DAWSON, Master, Zephyr.
n KrNr Maatar frnia