Enterprise and Adventure/A Settlement in Massacre Islands
A SETTLEMENT IN MASSACRE ISLANDS.
In the year 1829, Captain Morrell, an enterprising American seaman, sailed from a port in the United States in a ship well manned and well armed, being fitted, in fact, for defence or traffic. Its object was to proceed to the Pacific Ocean, there to collect among the innumerable islands of that portion of the world the rare shell-fish, known as the Biche de mer. These valuable molluscs are dried by those who search for them, and prepared chiefly for the Chinese market, where they are regarded as a great luxury and fetch an enormous price. Morrell had been on several expeditions of the kind, and had visited most parts of the world; and it was confidently anticipated that the voyage would prove a highly profitable one. All, indeed, went well, although the vessel once narrowly escaped becoming a wreck by running on breakers. At length, on May 24, 1830, the expedition came upon a group of islands in the great Pacific, which did not appear on any map with which they were acquainted. They were a number of low, flat, and well-wooded islands, rich in soil, inhabited by a people of a very dark complexion; acquainted with war but ignorant of firearms. Upon their coral shores the coveted biche de mer floated in shoals—a temptation which induced Captain Morrell to cast anchor, hold a parley with the natives and purchase a piece of land on which to construct a house for preparing the luxury for market.
The common people among the islanders viewed this appropriation of their soil as an invasion, and made preparations for resenting it. They first stole all they could find exposed, including the smith's anvil, and the iron he had heated. They then armed themselves, uttered their war-cry, and attacked a bold and powerful Newcastle man of the crew, named Wallace, and sixteen of his comrades, who, although well armed, could not resist the impetuous rush of several hundred warriors. Thirteen of the unfortunate men fell, after a desperate resistance, in which four times that number of the savages were slain; and all would have perished had not a well-manned boat hurried to the rescue and taken the survivors in. The fire of musketry, under cover of which this was accomplished exasperated, without intimidating, the islanders. The savages had now recovered from the panic produced by their handful of bullets, and seeing that the remainder of their prey was likely to escape them, they made a desperate and determined rush upon their boat; but before they could reach her, she was in deep water. A part of them then saluted her with a shower of arrows, while the main body flew to their canoes and started in pursuit, every movement indicating a fixed determination to destroy the fugitives, or perish in the attempt. As the boat was very much lumbered up, with seventeen men on board, four of whom were badly wounded, her progress was slow, consequently the canoes gained upon her very fast.
As soon as the savages had approached within musket-shot of the boat, a well-directed fire was opened upon them from the latter; but the falling of their companions, instead of deterring them from their purpose only incited them to rush on with greater desperation. The moment was now approaching when their intense curiosity, respecting those big hollow pieces of iron on the vessel's deck, was to be fully gratified. The pursuers gained so fast upon the boat that Morrell began to fear her destruction would be inevitable. He brought the broadside of the schooner to bear on the canoes, by means of springs on the cables; the guns were all loaded with grape and canister, and the moment they came within distance, he waved to the officer of the boat to pull a little towards the stern of the vessel, which brought all the canoes, about twenty in number, clear from the range of the boat. At this critical moment, the "Antarctic" opened her flaming battery and despatched the messengers of death among the flotilla of canoes, two of which were dashed into fragments.
After this, Morrell and the shattered remnant of his crew prepared for departure, having given the islands the appropriate name of the Massacre Isles. His young wife who had accompanied him was fortunately saved. But the results of the voyage were disastrous. One half of his crew had perished in these encounters, and he had lost all the hopes of emolument for which the owners had fitted him out; but he had not only discovered new islands and new sources of traffic, but laid down with care rules for sailing with safety in his track, with remarks on the proper mode of intercourse with the untamed natives. Morrell shaped his course for the Manilla, where he reinforced his ship, borrowed a good sum to aid him in renewing his search for the precious biche de mer; and taking his wife on board returned once more, nothing daunted, to the terrible Massacre Isles. An attack was again made upon him to prevent his landing, but was repulsed by him, though as gently as possible.
Morrell then entered into negotiation with the chiefs, purchased a small island, raised a fortress, and a large curing house for the biche de mer, and affairs went on prosperously for a time. While this more peaceful time lasted he was unexpectedly joined by a sailor who had survived the attack on Wallace and his comrades. He had been spared by a chief who had fractured his skull with a club; made a slave; was compelled to go naked and paint himself, and was finally desired to fatten himself that he might be eaten—for they roasted and ate all prisoners. Shortly after this event the indefatigable Morrell was compelled to abandon his project of obtaining a footing in Massacre Islands. The chiefs of the several islands collected their forces, and, uniting, attacked the little fort with bows and arrows. They were dispersed and their chiefs slain; but all hopes of commerce were at an end, and Morrell steered for his native land with a heavy heart and impaired fortune.