Page:The Boy Travellers in Australasia.djvu/143

Rh the South Sea Islands, with the object of procuring laborers. Dr. James Patrick Murray was on board as a passenger and part owner of the vessel, which was commanded by Joseph Armstrong. They tried to obtain laborers at the New Hebrides Islands by legitimate methods but failed, and then they resorted unsuccessfully to the 'missionary trick.'

"After this the party captured the natives by upsetting or destroying their canoes. According to Dr. Murray's account, given on the trial of Armstrong and one of the crew, the captain and crew used to smash the canoes by dropping pig-iron or stones into them, and the passengers in their own boat picked the natives out of the water, sometimes stunning them with clubs or slung-shot if they were troublesome.



"In this way they collected about eighty natives, keeping them in the hold at night, and allowing them to come on deck during the day. One night there was a disturbance in the hold, and the natives tore down the bunks, or sleeping-places, and with the materials thus obtained they attacked the main hatchway.

"An attempt was made to pacify them but it failed, and then the crew began firing down the hatchway. The firing lasted about eight hours, being kept up during the night, one of the men occasionally throwing lights into the hold in order to enable the others to direct