The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1844-08-06 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MASSACRE AT THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.-011 the 14th of last January, the Magnet, whaler, Captain Lewis, came to anchor off the north-west coast of Liffore, one of the South Sea Islands, and by a number of natives coming on board to barter with the crew, the latter were informed that a vessel had lately been captured, and most part of her seamen murdered by the natives of Maryee Island. In order to test the truth of this story, the Magnet got under weigh, and proceeded to the spot. Soon after her arrival, a canoe came alongside with a missionary and, three men, who had just come from the south-west extremity of the island ; and upon being questioned as to the alleged outrage, they confirmed what the officer of the Magnet had previously heard, their information being. that all hands had been killed, and the ship sunk, but that the sails, rope, and part of her stores had been deposited in the hole of a rock abreast of the spot where the vessel went down. The missionary further informed the crew of the Magnet that another vessel had met with a similar fate ; that the whole of her unfortunate crew, with the ex. ception of two seamen who had managed to escape to a more secluded part of the island, had been slain ; and that if the Magnet could lay to till the following morning, they would bring the two survivors on board. Captain Lewis consented, and about the middle of the day the missionary came again alongside with one of the seamen, and the account he gave of the transaction was, that he sailed from London in September last, in the brig Janet, of Dumbarton, on a voyage to the South Sea Islands, for a cargo of sandal-wood and tortoise-shell, but they were wrecked upon the coral reef of Caledonia, on the 14th of December. Some of the crew perished in the wreck, and the remainder (14 in number) escaped by a boat, and landed safely on the same day in the Isle of Pines. Their stay was but short, owing to the ferocious disposition of the natives ; and they again set sail, in the hope of gaining some other island where a more civilized race of people might be found. Unfortunately, however, they touched at Maryee, where they were immediately attacked, their boat destroyed, and twelve of their crew seriously maimed. He and another sailor, named Richards, were saved, and they eventually sought refuge in that part of the island. Nothing further having been learned as to the fate of the missing ships or crews, the Magnet proceeded on to Lippore Island, on a further search, and on coming up to that place the officers ascertained that the name of the former ill-fated ship was the Two Sisters, a South Sea whaler, commanded by Captain Brend, and that every soul of the crew had been barbarously murdered. Shortly after her arrival off the coast a large number of the natives, of both sexes, went on board. The crew were at their respective duties, but unfortunately one of them happened to take a slight liberty with one of the women, and a dreadful slaughter ensued. The natives then plundered the vessel, and in order to carry out their diabolical revenge, fired her, and she was thereby utterly consumed. The crew of the Magnet being well armed, and believing that some portion of the unfortunate whaler's cargo was distributed amongst the residents of that part of the island, detained the brother of the chief (Bulla) until the things belonging to the Two Sisters were delivered up. Amongst the articles soon brought on board were a quadrant, greatly injured, a jolly-boat, with the name Two Sisters painted thereon, chronometer, account books, and the log', twehalagn et then kept up to the 10th of December last. The the last two set sail for Sydney. Five fine shipsddeustr:. destroyed, and their years have thus been captured and of the South barbarians crews murdered by the savage Sea Islands. which had been