Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/114

 and spoke a language very much like that of the Hervey Islanders. At Tanna Samoan missionaries were also left, and they then proceeded to Erromango. Here they found a barren country and a different race of men —  black, with woolly hair — who did not comprehend a  word of any language known to the missionaries. The natives, though apparently suspicious, exhibited no signs  of actual attack. Mr. Williams with Mr. Harris, Mr. Cunningham, and the captain of the brig landed and were strolling about and amusing themselves picking up  shells. While thus engaged they had separated from each other. Mr. Harris and Mr. Williams were in advance of the others. Suddenly the war shout was heard, and Mr. Harris was seen running, pursued by a  crowd of natives. He was soon overtaken by them and clubbed to death. Mr. Williams then turned and ran for the boat; but he had delayed too long, and, although  he had reached the water, was followed into it and slain  also." Mr. Cunningham and the captain escaped with  great difficulty, and, after some fruitless attempts to  recover the bodies, left the island. Mr. Cunningham  was of the opinion that the attack was not premeditated,  but arose from a desire to obtain possession of the  clothes of the persons massacred. The missionary cause  sustained a great loss in Mr. Williams’s death.

Portions of the island of Australia were visited by the Spaniards as early as the year 1520. The Dutch, when they captured it in the year 1606, named it New Holland. When the English took possession of it they named it New South Wales. It is now called Australia. It was to this place that England used to transport her convicts,