The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-08-24
BY AN EYEWITNESS.
The Expedition Against the Atuans
as Seen from q. B. NJ. S. Curacao.

position at Lutuanuu. A notification
to this effect was sent to the Atuan
rebels and also to the Kings forces.
The plan of campaign was that at 9 a.
m. on the 18th the Curacao and Bus
sard should shell the rebel stronghold,
and, at given signal, the loyal forces
should advance and occupy it, and
then completely destroy the forts by
fire; after which, under cover from the
guns of the warships, Malietoa's war
riors should advance on Sallafata.
On the 10th inst. II. NJ. 8. Curacao
left Apia at 2 p. M, followed closely
by III. L. G.. NJ. s. Bussard, and short
ly afterward anchored at Vailele. In
the meanwhile II. B. NJ. S. Fake
proceeded to Solosolo from that place.
Before we entered Vaitele boat
manned by Atuans, flying a white
flag of truce, and and conveying the
rebel chief Muliufi, came alongside the
Curacao for parley, which, however,
was of short duration. He said they
would vacate the rebel position if the
Kings men would leave their fort.
He was told that shortly after 8 a. m.
the next day they would have to leave
whether they liked it or not
On the morning of the 18th at a.
m. the rebels took the initiative and
set fire to their position on the ridge at
Lutuanuu and retreated on Saluafata.
Nevertheless, carrying out the origin
al intention, the Curacao weighed
from Vailele and anchored off the
rebel position close to Laulii, and at 8
a. m. opened fire with shell from her
heavy guns on the now smouldering
ruins of the forts. After an hour of
this the signal was made, by sounding
the steam siren, for the Kings troops
to advance. The Bussard, from her
position at Vaitele, had also dropped
a few shells into Lutuanuu; she also
weighed and proceeded to Saluafata.
1t had been arranged that the Fake
should destroy fort in the neighbOr-
hood of Solosolo, but it had appar-
emily been deserted and is now so
from seward. She was sent on to
Apia to protect the foreign settle
ment.
The Curacao steamed slowly along;
the Kings men, as it were, marched
with her. 1t was noticed that they
burnt a house or two along the line
of march, for some reason or another
leaving others in the same vicinity
untouched. Before sunset Saluafata
was reached, the Curacao and Bus
sard at anchor and the Kings people |
occupying the houses which were de-
serted by the Atuans.
Throughout the whole of Sunday |
(l2th) there was rifle firing to be |
heard on shore as intervals. The |
rebels killed two of the Kings men |
and took their heads, and in the |
evening a man with a bullet in his
arm was brought off to the Curacao
for treatment, one Tulafona, we'll
known to the polo players as a pro.
wider of ponies.
King Malietoa paid visit to the
Curacao on Sunday afternoon, and a
was held in which Cap
ain Scheder of the Bussard Joined,
md it was decided to attack the rebel
position at Lufilufi next day, and so
passed the opening day of the shoot
ng season.
At s a. m. on the 18th the Curacao
md Bussard left Saluafata for Luf-
ufi, where the rebels had a strong
lold; they were given notice that the
hips wOul1 attack their position the
lay before, so when we opened fire at
q. M, no doubt those of Atua were
veil clear of the fire from the heavy
'uns. The position was difficult to
iscern from the seward but man ,
vas sent to the Curacao to point it
ut. 1t is not far from the mission
ry house of the Rev. Carne, and it {
vas of course, to avoid doing {
ny injury to him or his estab- !
shment. After an hour, during i,
'hich some well-directed shells had
cen placed, the firing ceased; the {
sounded their steam sirens |
5 a signal for the Kings troops to adj =
ance, and the Bussard went on to
alifa to keep a lookout in that di-
ectiOn, also to seize any boats of the
ebels that might have been slowed
way there for safe custody. Very
BON heavy rifle firing was heard on T
lOre and a chief came off to say that
ne rebels had got a strong position
lside an old fort close to the beach,
, the Curacao planted few more
lells just over this fort with the OBJ i,
ct of soaring them out of it, Unfor- y
lnately one of these proiectiles ex- Fl
IOded in the roof of a building be-
ind the fort and this-which turned "
1t to be the mission church-was q
'on in flames, but on these occasions
like other buildings, have e.
take their chance. Z,
During the forenoon five wounded /;
en- of the Kings party were brought r,
ongside the Curacao for treatment. L
wounded by bullets in the lower II
gions, two dangerously. These five, d
I'd the man wounded yesterday, were
moved by their friends later on i'm =
e day and conveyed by boat to Apia. q
lie Curacao left Lufilufi at .. m. for =
.luafata; it had been reported that r
body of rebels had occupied a posi-
IN in clearing on the rising
ound at that anchorage. From Lufi-
Fl to Saluafata is only half hour
st outside the reef, and soon the
ip's guns were again sending she'll h;
to the rebel territory. There were /,
me Atuans about, for they quickly sf
scended to the beach, and were in
eeived by some willy Tuamasagas -
iden behind a bit of a wall, but '"
tn 10 apparent result. Before the co
Y was out the rebels appeared to de
We had enough Of it, for letter was he
1t to Captain Gibson to say that -
ey desired peace, and were willing ~
do anything that was asked OF So