West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-01-10
A PLOT THAT FAILED.

In the year that our civil war broke
nut left Honolulu for a trad no trin
among the islands TO the south. but be-
lng more particularly bound for the
Baumotu Islands, which lie TO the sou. a.
east, on the ITopic OF Capricorn. There
are niteen or twenty groups oil islands
ln the South Pacific, and while the resi-
dents 9l some arc civilized and living
IKE whlte folks, there are Others in
naolted by scoundreily gangs. There
are ABOUT thirty islands large and small.
ih inc aumotu group, and in 1851 there
wasn't native among them, who was
GoJ th;ei and q liar when dealing with
white men. / think there was two or
thfee English missionaries on the larger
island at the date / mention. but their
influence was limited The natives we're
sheaklng lot always playing for some
point oil advantage, and were rather held
IN contempt by the traders. They would
cheaI, steai and lie, but no one supposed
them brave enough TO attack a vessel
Our craft was "A fnc, new schooner
quilt on The model oil a fruiter and one
oil the fastest crafts ever propelled bv
WIND power. She was also easy 10 handle
and carried a dry deck throuyb seas
which woull have wet frigate fore and
aft. he was commanded bv tant,,in
walters, very compe eat man while /
had the berth OF h,st maze. mr. second
was a Mr.. Sheppard, and we had six men
before the mast. We wee lotded with
article Of traffic, and our arna uent CON
sisted OF one siA-pOunder on a carriage
and dozen swords aud muskets. The
captain had made two prc .ious VOYAGE
to the islands, and he had very poor
opinion Of the courage Of the natives.
we mad an uneveutful voyage TO with
In one hundred miles Of the islands. "a hen
we encountered the brig 'Frisco. which
had also been on a trading voyage. She
showed a sigual Of distress. and was
ordered TO so aboard in response. Her
original crow Of ten mon had been re-.
duced one-half, and the aptsin was in
need OF the services oil mQeon. having
a bad scalp wound and two cuts ON the
shoulder. Three days before. as the brig
had completed her cargo, the natives
had made a determined effort to capture
her. Three or her crew had been k lied
one drowned, and a fifth carried OF n
prisoner, AMI only one man Of the five re.
manning had escaped being wounded In
Tepelling the natives th rty or forty Of
Rem had been slaIghte ed and the
Ca 'tain's adv &C to us was TO seek some
other port. We could not spare the brig
any haods but we fixed up the wounde
as we'll as we could, our Captain went
aboard to hear the particulars Of the
tight, and when the vessels separated we
held TO our original cOur.e.
81 am not to be scared out bv his
yarn, BIZ. Winters, he sa d to me. "I
know those native, and ! know that
they haven't the courage Of sheen
suspect that the crew Of the brig and tho
natives went ON q big drunk together
and that whisky brOughtabout n ou1rrel
in which sailors knitted each other.D
"But 30 won't be much trouble TO take
proper precautions, repl cd
'oh, no You will have full charge
when we get on trading grounds. as +
viii have % look after the barter Take
sach precautions as you like, though /
think Do will be trouble Tor nothing"
my bump ~ caution is decidedly
prominent As sailor J always pre-
teued 10 snug down and store away be-
fore the storm broke got up the cut.
las8cs and found them about as sharp ms
spades. The muskots were rusty aud
out Of repair and the caps and bullets
slowed away where / had long hunt 10
hNt ANtAtlf w q MtlH lN atuNE oil tho
Islands before ] had The aims I'm good
shape, aud the Captain had INDUCED in
more than one chucklo over my efforts.
There were three or four rulers distrib.
uted about the groups, but the head man
recognized by the traders was known bv
the tiilo Of "old Lop." Ills left shoulder
was badly down and be was old and
skinny. Instead OF being called lon
shouldered, the sailors gave him the
briefor and more expressive nickname of
cold Lop." BE lived on an island
known 70 as in those days as the Horse
shoe, and this was about tho centre of
the group There were safe channels
among the isles, aud o craft lying Oft
tho Horseshoe was perfectly sheltered In
any sort weather. We were whole dng
making our way through the channels.
and itstruck me az very curious that All