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Scarce engraving of the skirmish between the brigade of seamen and marines of H.M.S Curacoa, and the Natives of Port Resolution, August 12th, 1865.
During the recent cruise of Commodore Wiseman amongst the South Sea Islands, he became aware of several outrages commit- ted by the inhabitants of New Hebrides upon British subjects, and believing that the most effectual way to stop their aggres- sions in future, would be to punish them for the past, the Curacoa proceeded to the island of Tanna, the principal of the group. We are indebted for the following narrative of events to an officer of the Curacoa : “Accompanied by the Mission schooner Dayspring, we pro- ceeded from Aneiteum to Tanna on the 10th August, bringing Rev. Mr. Paton (late Missionary at the latter place) with us, who had several complaints against the natives. He had been living with the friendly tribe occupying the village of Samoa, shewn on the left of the sketch. It appears he got on well enough with these people, but there was another tribe on the opposite side of the harbor, under a powerful chief, named Quatangen, who determined to rid the island of all Christian natives, and commenced by ordering the friendly natives not to shelter Mr. Paton, whom they ordered to leave the island. Soon after this they threatened to kill him, but two friendly chiefs hid him for a time till a ship came, and he escaped. They also burnt all the mission buildings and Church, and stole his furniture, which, when they came on board the Curacoa, on the 10th, they acknowledged had been sold to the Mission, and was therefore English pro- perty. The Commodore gave them till 12 at noon next day to render some account for what they had done, and to say whether or not they had been provoked to these acts, as well as to the murder of a white man some time ago. Next day (Friday) no one came ; however, the Commodore gave them till next morning, and sent on shore to tell them to remove their women and children out of danger—a caution which many of the stronger sex availed themselves of. A mes- sage was also sent to say that all not impli- cated in the affair would be safe by going to the village of Samoa. On the morning of the 12th, the Curacoa opened fire on the villages in Port Resolution, and in a few hours a landing party, consisting of the marines, two rocket parties, and both com- panies of small-arms men were despatched, in charge of the commander, to destroy the villages, which they effected without meeting much resistance, and returned on board with the loss of only one man, George Holland, an A.B., who was shot through the abdomen. During the absence of the Com- mander the master was sent, to destroy the canoes on the beach, which was successfully accomplished.” We must express our indebtedness to the officers of the Curacoa for their courtesy in furnishing several interesting sketches
From the original edition of The Illustrated Sydney News.
References:
Gibbs & Shallard. Illustrated Sydney News. ISSN 2203-5397.
Collections:
State Library New South Wales: F8/39-40
State Library Victoria: PCINF SLVIC=1853-1872
National Library Australia: Bib ID 440095
Walter George Mason (1820 - 1866)
Mason was born in London, the second son of Abraham John Mason, a well-known wood engraver and lecturer. Walter’s father began teaching him the art of wood-engraving when the family lived in New York in the 1830’s. Walter was sent back to London to train under Mr G. Bonner before 1839. In England, Walter Mason became very well known as a wood engraver and worked with The Illustrated London News, Punch, Pictorial Times, The Art Journal,and other periodicals. Walter’s brothers, George and Charles, had immigrated to Australia in about 1850 and worked in Sydney as wood engravers.It seems likely that they encouraged Walter to join them. In 1852 Walter and his family left England for Australia, arriving in Sydney via the Windsor on 4 November 1852. Soon after his arrival in Sydney, Mason became involved in the founding of The Illustrated Sydney News.Despite a small permanent staff and the fact that 4000 copies of the first issue were sold at sixpence a copy, the paper had financial problems from the beginning. Over a few months in 1854, five of the original proprietors left the partnership and Walter Mason became printer and publisher. Despite engraving illustrations for a large number of newspapers, books and magazines, Walter was in financial difficulties for most of his time in Sydney.
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