The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-28

yves The boat-steerer, however, not only
con -Enuec doing 50. but even went OF with
q party OF islanders. Payne ther came
ashore and stationed sentfress around the
camp. and the next day when Comssock
appeared, Payne and Oliver shot him.
Payne afterwards cispatch.ng him with
an axe. The bcdy was sewed I'D in can
vas and buried, and what seems perhaps
as extraordinary = perverslon OF religious
rites as vas ever recorded. a chapter
from the Bible was read over the grave
the ceremony ending with the discharge
OF musket
The same day Payne placed the ship IA
charge OF crew OF ak. The following.
morning Il was discovered that they had
sailed away under cover Of night ard
reached Valparaiso. There now remained
on the island Silas Payne. John Oliver,
Thomas Liiliston. Rowland Coffin, Coium-
bus Worth. Rowland Jones Joseph Brown,
Cyrus III. Hussey and william Lay On the
9th Of February Payne ard Oliver. who
had been visiting the natives. brought two
women back 70 camp with them. One OF
them fed the next morning, but Oliver
and Liillston set out and recaptured and
fiogged her. On the I'D Il was discovered
that Ratchet and chisel had been stolen.
pattve who during the day brought back
the ehisel was put IN irons. The next day
Payne and the crew went 20 the village
where they found the Ratchet As they
were returning with IL the natives pur-
sued them and attacked them with stones,
oyertakarg and killing Rowland Jones.
Payne then halted ard began a consulta-
ton With one OF the chiefs. In the midst Of
which the savaEes with sudden whoops
feN upon the crew and butchered all but
Lay and Hussey. sparing these two for
reasons which they were never aols 10
learn. Lilliyton and Brown fell within six
feet OF them and Worth was speared by
an old woman. Lay and Hnssey remained
on the island until December %. ISIS. when
they were rescued by the United States
schooner Dolphin, Commander Pereivai.
Strategic Rinse of the Syren's Mate.
All the strategic resources OF q quick.
ready mind were often called into play
during a whaleman's career not only in
weathertng storms and Ia avoiding de-
struction OF boats and loss of life when
attacking whales. bur also IN escaping
massacre from savage islanders and IN
out whiting pirates. IN 1873 the ship Syren.
OF New Bedford. while on a voyage 70 the
eastward OF Cape Horn. met with an aa-
venture which would have proved fatal 10
all hands bat for quick stratagern OF the
mate. One fine day, OF one OF the Pelev
Islands. all the boats being after whales
and but few men left aboard the vessel,
a large bard q armed natives suddenly
swarmsd ever the bur4srks. The sailors
fed 10 the rigging. leaving TIRE naked.
bowling savases In fun command OF the
ship. The mate. on coming alongside. took
I'm tina situation az n glance. ana quickly
ordered thu men 20 open the arm-chests
and scatter on deck al the tacks they
could find. IN a moment II fairly rainei
tacks upon the naked savages. The deck
was Hoon covered with these little nails.
They pierced the feet OF the islanders, who
danced about with pain, which Increased
with every step they took until with
yeils OF rage and agony. they turnbled
headionx into the sea and swan ashore.
Unfortunately IN the struggle the mate re-
ceived an arrow wound Just over enc OF
his eyes and was obliged 70 retire from
the sea JOHN T. MTCHAELIS.