The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-06-12
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A Long NIGHT OF. AGONY.
Desperate Struggle for Life with
n Band 81 BLACK Nlurderers--
fhe story Of a Horrtble TRAGEDY
OF One at the South Sea Islands.

n Band ef Hack Murderers-.
The story OF a HOrrlble Tragedy
OF One ot the south sea Islands,
The natives Of The South Sea Islands
should either be speedily brought under
the influence OF Christian civilization or
suffer extirpation The latest case of
horror which reaches us from this sec
ton of the world is the massacre Of
part of a crew belonging to a Melbourne
vessel, the particulars of which have
been furnish Y By correspondent Of an.
Australian PAPER. ~ y 81
1t appears that in January the schoon-
er Douglas, with crew of ten white
men, including officers, left Cairns for
Chilcot Island, lying two hundred miles
to the east, to take in load of guano
On the passage the men stopped off
Drink Island and shipped three blacks,
who boarded the Douglas from canoe
On arriving at Chilcot, small, detach,
ed, uninhabited island, brig belonging
to the same owners was found there
partially loaded. A member of the firm
who had gone out with the schooner de.
cided that, as there was not black labor
enough to screen the guano as rapidly
as desired, he would return with the
brig and fill up her cargo with cedar at
the Daintree. In the presence of the
three blacks shipped at Drink Island
nearly all the arms belonging to the
schooner were transferred to the brig,
and the latter sailed on the morning of
the 10Th. The arms, it may be said,
were taken because the Daintree was
known to swarm with treacherous ma.
tives, and no one dreamed that the blacks
on the remaining vessel would under
take the murder Of more than three
times their own. number. "A hut had
been erected on shore for the storage of
water and provisions EARLY in the
night this hut was occupied by two white
men, named Cochrane and Mcintosh,
and two Of the blacks. The blacks
seemed cheerful and happy, and the
whites were under no apprehension of
danger. Watching their opportunity
the two negroes stealthily approached
their victims and dispatched them with
an instrument known as halifax Re-
tanning their weapons, the murderers
swan off to the vessel The whites
were all sleeping in fancied security, and
not soul was on the alert save the
third black, who waited the coming OF
his fellows. Softly they stole about
their bloody task Two Of the whites
were sleeping on deck, and murderous
blows rendered them incapable of utter.
ing a sound. Leaving these two men
for dead, the blacks next entered the
hold, and finding a sailor named Purcell
they ehoppva his hoad, faoo and arm IN
a frightful manner, and cut huge gap
ing cash in his back. They believed
him dead, but subsequently he managed
to crawl through the hold into the after
cabin. The acting second mate, Deasy
by name, who was asleep in the fore
castle, hearing the outcry made by Pur,
cell. rushed on deck He lodged the
blow of tloody ak, and cried out
captain, the blacks are numbering us =
The three murderers attacked him
but he managed to get away, with nu
merous fesh.wounds and severe choI
on the arm. Once they had him on his
back, and one attempted to chop off his
legs while being held by the other two
He managed to free himself, and struck
down one Of his assailants with . small
grindstone lying on deck. Deasy and
two men then succeeded in, reaching the
rigging. The blacks followed, but the
men gained the foreyard, and kept them
at bay with blocks, cut away with the
mates knife. The struggle aroused the
Captain. He started to go on deck, but
as he laid his hand on the top Of the
companion it was chopped off with ar
ak, and he Immediately retreated to, the
cabin. Here he remained with his son
and was subsequently, Joined by Purcell
and Shaw, the latter one of the men frs
attacked. On lying down to sleep Shaw
had wrapped rug and q thick bas
about his shoulders, and this alone saveC
him from immediate death. According
TO his own story, he awokein q sort o
dream, and found himself one mass o
clotted blood from wounds on the heat
and arms. The men on the foreyard--
the mate so wounded that he had to b,
lashed to prevent falling supposed tha
all hands, save themselves, were dead
and did not dare venture down. Tn,
negroes, not able to attack them in thei
position aloft, commenced search 70
the bodies Of their victims and sucf
Others as might have evaded their at
tacks The steward had shut h;msel
up in his galley and escaped their mur
Iderous intentions. Shaw and Purcell
as we have seen, had crawled away t
the cabin. Coming across the body Q
Troy, one of the two first struck, the
found him still alive. They then chof
ped his body and Glove his head till a
, life, all semblance even of humanity wa
lost in the horrid butchery. Tremblin
in his gallery, and momentarily expect
, ing his own fate, the steward heard tn
, poorvictim groan out "Oh, God! III
finished now" The wounded, mutilate
men in the cabin attempted, and vainl
so, to load pistol, the flowing bloc
. clogging the weapon and so dampin
the powder that they could do nothing
Daylight came at last, and with
: came some hope for the poor, bleedin
I victims of the murderous fiends. a
t though deliverance was yet to be d.
p layed. The situation as the day dawne
D was as follows: The three blood-staiHe
$ demons held the deck, three men wei
e on the yard, the steward was hidde
/, away in the galley, and the Captain
q with his boy, held watch in the cabi
d with the poor wounded men welterir
It in their blood beside them. One Of tt
e blacks began pelting the men on Il
e yard with stones and pieces of coal o
tanned from below, while his fellow
;. with axes in hand, renewed their 6
n tempt to ascend the rigging. The sir
e blocks kept them at bay, and at Ia
e they gave up the attempt Then d
= blacks discovered that the steward "
IS in the galley One was sent to qua
l. the companion-way, while another bur
t. open the galley door Jumping throu,
# the other door, the steward rushed
s. the companionway, and, dodging a nj
|, derous blow aimed at him by the guar