The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-01-07

| , j.
- The British auxiliary ship Mildura has
] arrived in Vancouver after the most ex-
+: traoTdinary cruise Of which even the dark
and bloody isles OF the Pacific have ever
! been the witness. In the course of less
! six months she has chased French ship
over coral reefs and thus perhaps dis
placed the Fashoda incident as subject
of International <ill-feeling and possible
conaict. She has rescued an island prin-
cess and scores of other women from most
horrible slavery, avenged the cruel muir
der OF a British colonial governor, stormed
stronghold of escaped French convicts,
and witnessed many scenes of bloodshed,
deso'ation and misery ...Ea ~ Is
This is the story as told by Capt. Leah,
OF the Mildura with corroborative details
furnished by the people of the Australian
steamship Miowera, just arrived from
Sydney. Thus reads Vancouver letter
to the New York World.
The Mildura left Sydney, Australia very
suddenly six months ago, and was short
ly followed out Of the harbor by the
French cruiser Eure.
The object of their cruise was accident
, ally learned by a Sydney reporter. It
was to put down the traffic in native girls
said to have been carried on by white
officers of merchant ships. and even of
naval vessels patrolling the Pacific.
After leaving Sydney the M,1dura
steamed direct for New Hebrides and
made Nounlea her headquarters. The day
after her arrival she was Joined by the
Eure. 1t was then. definitely learned that
%or.
IL. putting down the horrible traffic in
native girls which was becoming so preya-
lent among the islands 5.,.5l -.s.l
Wmie at Noumea reports were received
by Cart. Leah, of the Mildura, that scores
OF slris hsd been stolen and taken aboard
months from the Island of. Aoba To-
gether the two ships set out to investi-
gate. = :,
They found that the report was true,
ana tnat an awful vengeance had been
wrought upon the white governor, who,
though 3guiltless of the crimes that had
naddeaed the natives to revolt had been
mastered. : -
White dealings with South Sea natives
are short and sharp
The English and French II WVarshfps
cFened fire. The village, which had a
population of about 500 was soon in
flames, and the inhabitants fed to the
hills.
|. Then the British and French tars rowed
to the island ard captured many natives.
Among them was Chief Omuoo, whose
village was on the other side Of the
island
The next morning this chief. with a
number of his warriors, padded to the
Mildur1.
what have you done with Gov Dun
camp manded Capt. Leah. -, =
Whtre is my daughter?" retorted the
chief. "Ts' there no punishment for white
men. ard for our burned villages and our
young men slain?"
II know nothing of your daughter"
1T is true said Omuoo. Last night
size was bathing with her women in the
sea and thew were all stolen by the Man.
a-wee-veo the Frenchmen), as others
Rave been stolen before" ... ..
Your child shall be rescued" said Capt.
Leah. ''Ihey cannot have gone far First
let us bear about the murder of Gov.
Duncan" E" =. e.. ~. =.
Capt Leah says, he has no doubt Dun
cans murder was due to the anger Of
some native whose daughter had been
stolen by Frenchmen. =: ..a .s..-. +"
Like many governors of small islands,
Duncan was also a trader. With num-
her of his suite he was trading with a
chief several miles inland on Aloha, with
whom he had been dealing for upward of
seven years. He placed such confidence
In this chief that on several occasions he
had taken him on board his cutter for a
cruise among the islands, privilege &C.
corded only to natives supposed to be
re.lab,e. ...,.. ..r.-. ....-. -s..s
| Duncan was in the chiefs tent, making
some entries in book, while the. chief
YVES sitting opposite him. Without mo-
mcnt's warning the native seized a toma-
hawk and aimed a blow at Duncan's head.
The governor ducked but received the
0I7cro 0f Na fnr mol oNIyIY h Ia
cutting it to the bone Although partly
stunned, he reached for :, his revolver,
.. wt:ch was lying at his side, when the
chief, Selling knife, stabbed him twice
In the back. The wounds were not deep,
and Duncan secured his revolver. The
chief. seeing his danger. sprang like
flash for the doorway, only to receive a
sh:t, fired point blank into his body.
Duncans companions, at the sound OF
the revolver shot, rushed into the tent
only to find the chief dead Cd the COVER
nor in dying condition. He'was carried
back to the coast, and had hardly told
the story Of the attack when he: breathed
his last His death and that of the chief
was followed by general revolt, in
which several whites were slain. gg.5
1t now remained to chase the French
cutter that had taken away Chief
Omaloo's daughter and nineteen other
girls of Aoba. An extraordinary coinci-
ternational complications.
After Smelling Aoba, the French cruiser
Eure, Capt. Lecuve, steamed away to
Segon, one of the stations of the French
New Hebrides, to put down revolt Of e.
capped Sconvicts. She left word for the
sMildura TO follow as soon as possible It
thus happened that Capt. Leah was left
10 chase the Port Despointes alone.
~ The little cutter was still cruising In the
vicinity. The Mildura gave chase. The
Port " spointes was no match for her In
speed and ran in close to small island.
4 he Miidura followed at high tate OF
VI cd aid. was almost within firing dis
ss9ncs OF the cutter when a horrible grind
III; sound told Capt. Leah he was In
|i4as:gerous waters. The cruiser had run
EVER a hidden coral reef and had. strange
to say. - aimed no other damage than
to have SO Of her plates sprung.
Iy this time she was close upon the
Port Deepointes and shot fred across
the cutters bow brought her to stand
still. Capt. Leah, with twenty blue jack
cts, Immediately boarded her.
"a He found on BOARD the Ooban princess
and twelve Of her girl companions. He
Hernandez their immediate release, and
First Lieut. Couillard, who was In charge
Of the cutter. made no demur. This Off
Ger Is supposed TO have authorized the
capture ofsthe girls.
81 The princess was found In her cabin
sleeping. She 50 described by Capt Leah
as beautiful girl. almost as fair In COM
plexion as 9 European When awakened
she protested against leaving Lieut.. Couil-
lard, but Capt Leah was obdurate.
Then followed strange scene. like q
modern version OF the story Of the stolen
Sabine women. &.
s ss is::