Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-02-01
A PLOT THAT FAILED.

In the year that our civil war broke
out LETT Honolulu for trad,pp ,rir
among the islands to the South. but be-.
ing more particularly bound for tho
Paumotu Islands, which lie to the south.
east, on the 'l'ropic oil Capricorn. There
are fifteen or twenty groups OF islands
IN tho South Pacific, and while the resi-.
dents OF some are civilized and living
IKE white folks, there arc others i'm,
habited by scoundrelly gangs. There
aro about thirty islands large and small,
IN the anmotu group, aud in lSdl there
wasn't native among them, who wns
not thief and liar when dealing with
white men. think there wns two or
three English missionaries on the larger
island at the datc l mention, but their
influence was limited. The natives were
snenklng lot, always playing for some
point OF advantage, and were rather held
IN contempt by the traders. They would
cheat, steal and lie, but no one supposed
them brave enough to attack vessel.
Our craft was fine, new schooner
built OH the model of frultcr. and ono
OF the fastest crafts ever propcllrd bv
wind power. She was also easy TO handle
and carried dry deck through seas
which would have wet frigatc fore and
aft. She was commanded by (antain
Walters, a very compc .ent man. while I
had the berth Of first mate. cur second
was MIR. Sheppard, and we had six men
before the mast. We were loudcd with
articles of traffic, and our armament con
sisted OF one siXpounder on n carriane
and nnZnn qtvorflc
Captain had made two previous yovnucs
to the islands, and he had yery moor
opinion of the courage of the natives.
we mad an uneventful voyage to with.
In one hundred miles of the islands. when
We encountered the brig Frisco, which
had also been on n trading voyage. She
showed signal of distress, and was
ordered to go aboard in response. Her
original crew OF ten men had been re.
unced one-hali, and the Captain was in
need OF the services OF II surgeon, having
Dnd scalp wound and two cuts OH the
shoulder. Three days before, rs the brig
mad completed her cargo. the natives
had made determined effort 10 capture
her. Three of her crew had been k.l!ed.
one drowned, and n fifth carried oil n
prisoner, AMI only one man of the five re.
naming had escaped being wounded In
repclling the natives thirty or forty of
them had been slaughtered, and the
Captains adv ce to us was to seek some
other port. We could not spare the brig
any hands, but wo fixed up the woundo
MS well as we could, our Captain went
aboard to hear the particulars of the
night, and when the vessels separated we
held to our original course.
81 am not to be scared out by his
yarn, Mr.. Winters" he sa d to me. 81
know those natives, and know that
they haven't the courage of sheen. /
suspect that the crew of the brig and the
natives went on a big drunk together,
and that whisky brought about quarrel.
In which sailors knitted each other"
"But it won't he much trouble to take
proper precautions" replied.
."Oh, no. You will have full charpe
when we get on trading grounds, as
Will have to look after the barter. Take
such precautions rs you like, though |
think it will be trouble for nothing"
My bump Of caution is decidedly
prominent. AS sailor ALWAYS pre-
ierred TO snug down and store awav he.
tore the storm broke. l got up the cut
iasses and found them about as sharn as
spades. The muskets were rusty and
out oil repair, and the caps and bullets
slowed away where had long hunt to
ma them. We were in sight of tho
Islands before l had The arms in good
shape, and the Captain had INDUCED in
more than one chuckle over nv efforts
lheIe were three or four rulers distrib.
nted about the groups, but the head man
recognized by the traders was known by
the title of "Old Lop." His left shoulder
was badly down and he was old and
skinny. Instead of being called lon
shouldcrcd, the sailors gave him Tho
bricfcr and more expressive nickname oe
I'D i.op" He lived ON an island
known to us in those days rs the Horse
shoe, and this was about tho centrc NJ
inc group. There were safe channels
among the isles, aud craft lying off
snc liorseshoe was perfectly sheltered in
any sort weather. We were whole day
making our way through tho channels,
ahu IL struck me as very curious that ali
I In native boats kept well out of hail.
W e sigh'ed a score or more of them, but
they wanted nothing of us. In three or
four cases where the Captain bawled Mt
them through his trumpet we heard their
defiance in answer.
When we reached our anchorage it
was nearly dusk. Only one boat came
oil to us, and the native who boarded us
acted to me like man bent on some
GRAND of mischief. He said that trade
was dull and Old Lop sick of fever, but
that he would see on the morrow what
could be done. Our Captain was the
only ono aboard who could talk the
lingo, and for reasons of his own he lid
not let on thot he had on,onnto,.l n