Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-03-27
MURDEROUS NATIVES.
Narrowing Tales Of their Diabol-
ical Treachery.
Only Two Out of Nino Escapo-Mowing
tho Black-Sklnned Devils Down
with Shot from six-Pountler
sweet Revenge.

In the year that our civil war broke
out l left Honolulu for a trading trip
among the islands to the south, but be-
ing moro particularly bound for the
Paumotu Islands, which lie to the
southeast, on tho Tropic OF Capricorn.
There are fifteen or twenty groups OF
islands in the South Pacific. and while
the residents OF some are civilized and
living like white folks, there are others
inhabited by scoundrelly gangs. There
are about thirty islands, large and
small, in the Paumotu group, and in
1861 there wasn't native among them
who was not a thief and liar when
dealing with white men. think there
were two or three English missionaries
on the larger island at the date men,
The natives were sneaking 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
bravo enough TO attack a vessel.
Our craft was fine, new schooner,
built on the model OF fruiter. and ono
OF the fastest crafts ever propelled by
wind power. She was also easy TO han
die, and carried dry deck through
seas which would have wet frigate
fore and aft. She was commanded by
Captain Walters, very competent
man, while lad the berth OF first mate
Our second was Mr. Sheppard, and
we had six men before tho mast. We
were loaded with articles of traffic, and
our armament consisted OF one six
FOUNDER on carriage and n dozen
swords and muskets. The Captain had
made two previous voyages to the is
lands, and he had very poor opinion
OF the courage OF the natives.
We had an uneventful voyage to
within one hundred miles OF the islands,
when we encountered the brig Frisco,
which had also been on a trading voy-
age. She showed a signal OF distress,
and | was ordered TO go aboard in re-
spouse. Her original crew OF ten men
had been reduced one-half, and the
Captain was in need of the services OF
surgeon, having a bad scalp wound
and two cuts on the shoulder. Three
days before, as the brig had completed
her cargo, the native had made de-
termined effort to capture her. Three OF
her crew had been killed, one drowned,
and fifth carried of prisoner, and
nnly NM mar ~ xho Gya ,.a,,,, o;,,x 4 n 4
escaped being wounded. In repelling
the natives thirty or forty Of them had
been slaughtered, and the Captains ad-
vice TO us was to seek some other port
We could not spare the brig any hands,
but we fixed up the wounded as we'll as
we could. our Captain went aboard to
hear the particulars OF the fight, and
when the vessels separated we hold to
our original course
81 am not to be scared out by his
yarn, Mr.. Winters" he said to me. II
know those niger natives, and l know
that they haven't the courage OF
sheep. suspect that the crew OF tho
brig and the natives went on big
drunk together. and the whisky brought
about quarrel, in which the sailors
knitted each other"
"But IL won't be much trouble 10
take proper precautions" !. replied.
"Oh, no. You will have full charge
when we get on trading grounds. as ]
will have to look after the barter. Take
such precautions as you like, though I
think it will be trouble for nothing"
My bump Of caution is decidedly
prominent. As sailor always pre-
ferred to snug down and stow away be-
fore the storm broke. got up the
cutlasses and found them about as
sharp as spades. The muskets were
rusty and out Of repair, and the caps
and bullets slowed away where had a
long hunt to find them. We were in
sight OF the islands before had the
arms in good shape, and the Captain
had INDUCED in more than one chucklc
over my efforts. There were threc
or four rulers distributed about the
group, but the head man recognized by
traders was known by the title OF ."Old
Lop." His left shoulder was badly
down, and he was old and skinny. In
stead OF being called lop-shouldered,
the sailors gave him the bricfer and
more expressive nickname OF "Old
Lop." He lived on an island known 10
us In those days as the Horseshoe, aud
this was about the center OF the group.
There were safe channels among tho
isles. and craft lying of the Horse