CHAPTER IX.
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CHAPTER IX.
THURSDAY, 7th, At 10 A. M. we hove to off Buena Vista, which is a very beautiful island to the N. W. of Florida; some canoes came off to barter; one can get anything here for a clay pipe, and they have some very good imitation of pipes made with shells, and a hollow reed stuck in them.
At noon we proceeded on our way to Ysabel, and, passing between St. George's Islands and Ysabel, anchored, at 3 P. M., between the little island called Cockatoo Island and the larger one Ysabel. The distance from Florida is about forty-five miles. This island is, I believe, the only one of this group where cannibalism is not much practised, if at all.
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There were not a great many curiosities here, except some ebony clubs, and wicker-work shields, several kinds of parrots, and a great number of white cockatoos. I went over to Cockatoo Island with my gun, and got a dozen pigeons in about an hour and some cockatoos; but it is very small, being only half a mile in circumference. We bathed there, and by so doing attracted a large shark, so we made a speedy retreat to the shore.
The next day the carpenters were sent to cut some ebony trees about four miles down the coast; we went with the Bishop and proceeded up a tremendously steep hill, where there was a village. The natives here have houses in the trees which they call ' Vakos; ' there is always one in every village, but some villages are entirely so built. We saw one which was quite fifty feet from the ground in a very large tree, and had a rope-ladder to get to it, which of course could be hauled up in case of attack. The house was very well built, and the floor covered with fine mats of pandanus leaf.
We went to see a village in which was about the largest 'vako' in the island, but it had been attacked and destroyed by another tribe, so we
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only saw a smaller one. On the opposite hill they were dotted about in all directions; I believe we were the first white men who had been up there except the Bishop. About ten of us started to
go up, but all except two of them, and the Bishop and myself, turned back when they reached the steep part. The first part was wading up a stream, which was very pleasant, it being extremely hot.
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I killed a snake about six feet long on our way up the hill. We lunched at the villages, and came down in the afternoon, getting on board at 6 P. M. in a terrific storm, which drenched us to the skin.
There are alligators in this island, as well as snakes and centipedes. Of the mammals there are vampires and opossums, of which last the Commodore tried to bring some away alive, but they have all died off since we left, and been stuffed. Of birds, there is a large kind of hawk, several kinds of pigeons, one with a red knob on his beak, and red legs, parrots and cockatoos, and several kinds of small birds; there is a black bird with yellow round his eyes, which they say is a kind of Mino bird, like the Indian species, and the Commodore is taking some alive to Sydney; so far they have lived very well on boiled rice, raisins, &c These islands are very unhealthy, so much so that Europeans cannot venture to stay here in the summer. Fever and ague are prevalent, and all the mission work must be done by means of teachers from the other Polynesian islands.
On Saturday (the 9th) I went to another tree village on the coast, about four miles to the southward, and returning about 1 P. M. took my gun,
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and went with three others to Pigeon Island, a small island covered with trees a mile from Cockatoo Island; we got forty-three pigeons in two hours, and a hawk, besides some parrots and cockatoos.
We left with the schooner in tow at 6 A. M. on Sunday (the 10th), and cast her off at 8, when we made sail and braced sharp up to the S. E. trade; we then parted company with the schooner, she steering for Port Curtis, Queensland, whence she is to go to Sydney via Brisbane, while we had to shape our course as close to the wind as we could, for we had a dead head wind; in fact, nothing could have been worse for us.
We were now bound for Erromango in the New Hebrides, where the Commodore had promised to call to take Mrs. Henry, the wife of a sandalwood trader to Port de France, New Caledonia, so we have further to go to windward than we intended at first. At noon we were abreast of New Georgia, and in the course of the afternoon passed close to Wanderer Bay, Guadalcavar, where Mr. Boyd met his untimely fate. At sunset the schooner was on our lee bow, and next morning she was to windward of us, and we were out of sight of land.
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11th. --We lost sight of her in the afternoon; the distance to Erromango is 750 miles now, and it will take us a good fortnight to beat up there.
On the 12th we were still standing S. S. W., and in the evening being near the Well's Reef, tacked twice to weather it, and then kept on to the S. S. W. as before. On the 14th we made a very bad run, and in the afternoon descried the schooner in the distance, after which we did not see her again. At sunset, being near Mellish Island, we tacked and stood E. N. E. for about one hundred miles. Next evening (15th) tacked, and stood to the southward two days more (16th and 17th), when we again tacked, being near the Bampton Reefs, and after making short tacks gained about fifty miles on the 18th and 19th, which placed us about five hundred miles from Erromango.
September 20th. -- Misty weather, ship standing S. E. lat. 19 deg. 40' S., long. 162 deg.30' E.; being to the westward of New Caledonia, the wind N. E., when, suddenly at 6 P. M. the wind shifted to south in a heavy squall, taking the ship aback and carrying away the mizen top gallant mast; we stood before the wind all night, which was now much beaten down by very heavy rain.
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At 6 A. M. 21st, having run ninety miles to the northward, we hauled up to E. S. E., and at noon were in lat. 17 deg. 41', S. long. 162 deg. 40' E. On the 23rd we got up steam, and as it fell calm, we got on better than we had lately done; and at last, on Monday, the 25th, at daylight, we sighted Erromango ahead and Tanna on the starboard bow, and anchored in Dillon's Bay at 7.30 A. M. We came here to see how the natives have been behaving since we left them, but as they have killed another white man, the Commodore intends punishing them to-morrow. Another reason for our coming here was to take Mr. and Mrs. Henry away, but they are not yet ready; for though all the sandal-wood on the island has been cut, all has not yet been shipped; I think they will not leave this for a month or two. We also heard that the natives of Tanna had murdered another white trader, and six of the natives had been killed in the following manner; they were examining one of our spent shells which had not burst; and it burst amongst them (for the least tap will explode the fuze), and killed six, and wounded seven others, besides striking terror into all the spectators.
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But though one cannot defend the conduct of these cannibals, I fear the sandal-wood traders have much to answer for. They, and indeed most of the white men in these islands, are the very scum of England and America; they are afraid to show their faces in civilized places, and make these poor creatures what they are. They try to cheat them, practising greater cruelties than the cannibals themselves are capable of. For instance, one captain of a sandal-wood schooner, the other day, boasted that, having taken in his cargo of sandal-wood, and as he was sailing along the coast, he shot down inoffensive natives as they stood on the beach, for the charitable purpose of spoiling the trade for the next comers. Another one boasted of having amused himself by shooting the natives as they paddled on shore after selling him sandal-wood. Can you wonder after this that they detest white men, and would kill and eat them when a chance occurs?
In the afternoon I went on shore, had a bathe in the river, and visited the native village. I did not take my gun---indeed, we could not venture far from the trading establishment and Mission. I am afraid, from what I hear, that Mr. Gordon, the missionary here, and the traders are not good friends.
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The hills here are something like those in New Zealand, being grassy, or with bracken, on the top, and trees in the ravines, and the sides are terraced in the same manner. This island is thickly populated, but not so much so as Tanna, nor is it so high.
Tuesday, September 26. --In the forenoon we prepared for our expedition, and at 1 P. M. weighed anchor and steamed two or three miles along the coast to the northward, to Elizabeth Bay, to a village called Sifu, where we anchored 350 yards from the beach at 1.45 P. M., and, as soon as the ship swung, opened fire with our port broadside amongst them, and the carnage must have been terrible, for the poor creatures did not expect it at all. Some of them were watching the ship from behind rocks, and one of them actually fired his musket in return to our fire. We sent the cutter, with Mr. Bolitho, Sub-Lieutenant, to throw rockets into the bush and village, which was set on fire, and the few natives that escaped were then seen running along the beach about half a mile up the coast. At 3 we ceased firing and weighed again, steamed back to Dillon's Bay, and anchored at 3.30.
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At this village was situated one of their fortresses, which consisted of a cave in the rock, with a slight stockade round the entrance, and a flagstaff. One or two shells went right into it.
The messenger they sent this morning to the chiefs had a narrow escape with his life, and the last one has not come back at all, so I am afraid he has been killed. At 8 A. M. we steamed out of the bay, making sail as soon as we were clear of the land.
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Next day (27th) we reached Mare Loyalty Islands at 4 P. M., and some canoes came alongside. This island is low and thickly wooded; there are two missionaries of the Scotch Church here. Nobody landed, and we did not go near enough to see much of the land. The natives brought off some cabbages, which were very acceptable with our salt meat. The native population is about 2000, All this group are under the French flag, who are most tyrannical towards the natives.
At sunset we filled our sails and stood over to Lifu, the larger island (called by the French Chabrol). The small islands of Molard, Boucher, Laine and Hamelin, we passed on our way, and at daylight we were close to Lifu. The French have barracks on the other side of this island, and part of a regiment; this island has 4000 inhabitants, but is low like the other, having cliffs only about fifty feet high, and the highest point being not more than one hundred feet above the level of the sea. It is thickly wooded, and I believe there are cultivations inland. We had a few canoes off, but they did not bring much for barter, and they are very shy of men-of-war. The French shoot every one they come across, if he has a gun, or
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ammunition, or arms of any sort, and treat them very badly.
At 10 A. M. we proceeded to Uea, the smallest island, where we stayed till 1 P. M. It has much the same appearance as the other two, but its shape is that of a crescent, which forms a good harbour, having a coral reef and small islands on the other side. The population is 1500, and the island is flat and wooded. At 2 P. M. we saw the
coast of New Caledonia, passing close to Port Kanala, Bouquet, and Iate; and we were off Queen Charlotte's Foreland at 5 P. M., where we furled sails and steamed through the Havannah Passage, passing the Port of Goro and Wooded Port, and getting a distant view of the Isle of Pines (Kunaie) on the left, with its magnificent Araucarias (A. Cookii). We turned into a large bay as night came on,
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and anchored in twenty fathoms. It is a splendid harbour, the part we are in being named Good Cove. The Prince of Wales's Foreland, forms the breakwater to this bay; and just beyond the entrance we can see Uea Island and Woodin Passage, which last we have to pass through on our way to Port de France.
The coast of New Caledonia is remarkably
barren, not being wooded, but covered with a brownish grass, and here and there short scrub; on the sides of the hills are bare places, apparently of red clay, with watercourses down them, which give them a peculiarly barren appearance; and on all the points are these extraordinary Araucarias, which have the longest branches at the top of the tree, and look like factory chimneys; they assume all
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kinds of fantastic appearances; indeed, Captain Cook's officers took them for pillars of basalt (at a good distance), similar to those at the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. The natives use double canoes here, but we have seen neither a native, nor a sign of one. We saw a fine waterfall as we came along the coast.
The Havannah Passage cuts off about sixty
miles, which would have been our course, had we gone round by the Isle of Pines and South Reefs. One would hardly know one was in the tropics, were it not for a few cocoa-nut trees growing in some of the little coves and bays. The Woodin Passage looks pretty from here; it is narrow, but it cuts off about ten miles, which you would have to go round if you went outside Uea Island.
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Saturday, 30th. - Some canoes were seen sailing up the bay, and they brought a few pumpkins, two or three bunches of onions, and a few yams, but not enough to satisfy our hungry crew. A Roman Catholic priest came off in a whale-boat from Prony Bay, but he merely paid his respects to the Commodore and left again. Two small trading schooners also passed the entrance of the port. At 11. 45 we steamed through the Woodin Passage, which we cleared by 1 o'clock. We had twenty-eight miles to go altogether. We were now steaming up the western coast of New Caledonia, and on our left the new lighthouse on Amedee Island, about seven miles off, was distinctly visible; it was just completed, but not yet lighted. It is at one of the principal entrances to the great reef which is called the Bulari Passage. At 2 P. M. we passed l'Ile des Porc-epics, so called from the Araucarias growing on it giving it that appearance, and Mont d'Or behind it.
We also passed several other low islands, some rocky, and others merely coral reefs covered with sand. At 3 P. M. the pilot came, and at 3.15 we got a glimpse of the harbour. There are two entrances to the port, one on each side of Mu Island,
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but the channel to the right of the Ile des Lapins is barred by a reef which extends (mite across. We anchored at 3.30, and the first boat to come alongside was the health-boat, which was soon satisfied; then Captain Parkin from the Falcon with the Commodore's despatches, and after that her pinnace with our mails; after which the aide-de-camp came with an invitation to dine with the
Governor for the Commodore; and then came the usual number of butchers, bakers, and washerwomen, eager for customers.
The Governor is a post captain (Capitaine de Vaisseau) in the navy, and is also Commodore (Chef de Division de Marine) on the station; his name is M. Guillain. There are four ships here, the Fulton, steamer, two schooners, and a store-ship
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La Bonita. On shore there are about 800 troops, all, however, marines; about 200 of them being marine artillery. They have six small field-pieces, and three or four larger guns at a fort on the east side of the harbour, close to the Artillery Barracks (Baie Bayonneuse). On anchoring we saluted the French flag with twenty-one guns, and the fort returned it with its pop-guns.
The French have no other town but Port de France, but they have three other military posts on the island besides the one on Lifu. They are at war with the natives in the north-west part of the island. There are fifteen different tribes, each having a language totally unintelligible to their next neighbour.
October 1st. -- Sunday, after church at 1 P. M., M. Guillain the Governor, and his staff, came on board to call on the Commodore and see the ship. He went all round and appeared much pleased with her, for she was as clean as a new pin, with clean hammocks stowed, &c When he left we saluted him with fifteen guns, which the fort returned. After he had gone on shore the captain of the Fulton came on board, also Lieutenant Carre, the captain of the Gazelle, and some of
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the officers of both vessels. In the evening I went on shore, and walked up to the top of the Signal Hill at the back of the town, whence there was a fine view.
The hill is only about four or five hundred feet high. I made the acquaintance of several of the French officers, who were exceedingly polite and civil.
The next day, Monday, the 2nd, the Commodore asked me to come with him and the Governor to the Model Farm, which is a government experiment to see what the land will produce. We went on shore at 10.30 A. M., and found that Madame Guillain was too indisposed to go with us, but I suspect
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this was merely an excuse, for the Commodore had made her a present of two mino birds, and some parrots and cockatoos, which he had brought from the Solomon Islands, and we saw her feeding them in the verandah soon afterwards. We went round the garden, which was full of beautiful plants, and prettily laid out.
We started soon after 11 from Port de France, which is situated on the extremity of a peninsula, with the bays of Dumbea and Bulari on either side, and reached La Ferme Modele after a pleasant drive of seven miles through an undulating country, very park-like, and thinly covered with the Melaleuca (titree of the Australian settlers.) The scenery is much like Australia, barring the high mountains of Mu and Kogi, in the interior. We were accompanied by several officers, the Chef de Gendarmerie, M. Martin; and M. Bertin the engineer, who has built the iron lighthouse on Amedee Island; M. Boutan, the horticulturist, who is experimentalizing at the Model Farm; and M. Mathieu, aide-de-camp, and several others. There were two mounted orderlies riding in front of the carriage.
We arrived at the Model Farm about 12, went round the premises, and sat down to luncheon at 1.
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We saw, first of all, the horses, which I did not think much of, then there were the works, blacksmith's shop, &c. We saw a flock of Cape sheep, which appeared to be doing well. All other kinds have failed, owing to a sharp kind of grass which pricks their skin, and then some kind of insect irritates them so much, that they die in a few days. For this reason they were afraid that wool would never be produced in any great quantity. These Cape sheep have tremendous large tails.
There is a great variety of fowls here, all of which appear to thrive. Wheat does not answer here, nor indeed anywhere in the tropics, but Indian corn and sugar-canes grow wonderfully. After a sumptuous luncheon, which was rather tiring, we went down to the garden, and saw two coffee plantations, which are wonderfully forward, as they have only been cultivated here for two or three years. The European vegetables were also growing well. M. Boutan told us, that the first year (1862) he was here the rivulet flooded the garden, and took all the seeds away with it. The next year he had some good soil transported there from a valley near, and raised the level three feet.
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We returned to town at 5 P. M., but before leaving M. Boutan kindly gave me some curiosities, such as women's dresses, a club, and some spears, and some stones which they use with a sling in war time.
The next day, the 3rd, we started at 6 P. M. to dine with the Governor. The officers who went from our ships were the Commodore, Captain Parkin, Lieutenant Parker, R. N., Lieutenant Cockraft, R. N., and myself, and there were about twenty French officers. It was a long, formal dinner; there was an immense number of small rich dishes handed round. We did not get on board again till 11 P. M.
The next morning, I and some of my messmates were invited to a champagne breakfast, given by an artillery officer; he came in his boat for us at 10 A. M., and we called on board the Falcon and Fulton for some others, and arrived at his house in Fisherman's Bay at 11 A. M., and our breakfast lasted till 3.30 P. M. I got very tired of it; there was the same innumerable quantity of dishes, with every sauce that can be imagined; but they were certainly most anxious to be civil and kind to us. We walked over the hill after breakfast to the
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town, though it was raining hard, and we spent the rest of the time at the barracks.
October 4th, --In the evening we were all asked to a grand 'ponche;' and though I rather wanted to decline, I was afterwards glad I went, for they had prepared one of the large dockyard sheds, and laid the table for eighty-four persons; and partly owing to the rain, very few more than half that number arrived. They waited till nearly 11 to see if any more would come; but as this was not the case, we sat down, and the entertainment passed off very well notwithstanding. The quantity of punch, champagne, and every variety of wine placed before us, was very alarming; however we were able to hold our own against the Frenchmen, and to get on board without any mishaps. All the usual toasts were given and received with great applause on both sides, and then each side gave a song in turn, then more toasts; and the end of it was, we did not get on board till 4.30 A. M.
Thursday the 5th. --We were invited to a ball, and in the afternoon went on shore, and had a game of cricket with the Falcon's and some French officers. There were only nine ladies at the ball; so, as there were upwards of fifty or sixty gentle-
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men, you can imagine what the ball was like, but the French were painfully polite, and gave up their dances to us.
Saturday, the 7th. --Went on shore and returned the call of the French officers at the two barracks and the men-of-war, and told them how sorry we were not to have been able to entertain them, in return for all their kindness and hospitality, but unfortunately three of our stewards were being tried by Court of Inquiry for misbehaviour, and also our stay was so short, and their hospitality so great, that we had not had time to do anything. However, a number of them came on board that evening, and we entertained them as well as we could till 1 A. M.
Sunday, the 8th. -- We sailed at 7.30 A. M., and we passed through the Great Reef, which is 14 miles from the coast by the Dumbea Passage, 12 miles N. of the lighthouse, and by 12 o'clock we could only just make out New Caledonia, being nearly 50 miles off. For the first three days, we made a most excellent passage, and we hoped it would have been the best on record; but on Wednesday, the 11th, as if to disappoint us, the glass began to fall, and it came on to blow from N. W., then W., and then S. W.,
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and on the 12th we were struck by a tremendous southerly squall, which would have laid us on our beam ends, had we had any sail set, but as we were steaming it did no harm beyond delaying us; however its fury did not last long, and we sighted the land near Port Macquarie at 4 P. M., and reached Sydney on the 13th. In the chart showing our track during this cruise, the dates of our position at noon are shown, the red track is whilst under steam, the black when sailing. The English colonies are coloured red, the French blue, and the native lands yellow. This ends our pleasant and most interesting-cruise, having been 132 days away from Sydney, and having sailed over 9284 miles.
October 18. --There was a grand flower-show at the Botanical Gardens, and there were some very beautiful plants and flowers shown there. Mr. Veitch exhibited his, and notwithstanding their voyage, they looked very fresh and healthy. The Commodore has got all his curiosities on shore and is going to exhibit them for the benefit of the Melanesian Mission (Bishop Patteson's).
