A Modern Buccaneer Part 25

Enclosure No. 13.

MESSRS. MILLER AND WARNE TO MR. HILARY TELFER, SUPERCARGO.

DEAR SIR,--You will proceed from hence to Mill, Mulgrave Island, for the purpose of selling the ketch _A.E.W._ You will find Captain Hayston there waiting for you, so you will please consult with him, as he is acquainted with the people who wish to purchase the ketch. Try to obtain oil or copra to the amount of 500 for her. Ship whatever produce you may get on board the _Leonora_, and get Captain Hayston to sign bills of lading. Do not sell the chronometer unless you get a good price for it.

Sell the few things you take to the best advantage. None of the Samoans are to remain, but to come back to Apia. Have the ketch painted at Mill.--Wishing you a prosperous and speedy voyage, we are, etc.,

(Signed) MILLER AND WARNE.

Enclosure No. 15.

Know all men by these presents that I, William Henry Hayston, Master mariner, now residing on Strong's Island, in the North Pacific Ocean, have made, const.i.tuted, and appointed Hilary Telfer, of Sydney, New South Wales, at present residing on this island of Kusaie (or Strong's Island), to be my true and lawful agent for me, and, in my place and stead, to enter into and take possession of my station situated at Maloe, near the village of Utw, South harbour, on the above-named island. Also all my oil, casks, tobacco, and other trade which may be on said station.

Also boats, canoe, pigs, fowls, possessions--all and everything, whether of value or not, together with my furniture and private effects, and to take full charge of all my business on the above-named island during my trip to the eastward.

(Signed) W. H. HAYSTON, In the presence of the undersigned witness, this 19th August 1874.

(Signed) CHARLES ROBERTS.

Enclosure No. 16.

MEMORANDUM OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR MR. HILARY TELFER.

SIR,--As I am about to leave Strong's Island, and have given you power to act on my behalf, I wish you to close up all my affairs in the best manner you can. You will look after the property I leave behind, and dispose of it to the best advantage. Out of the remainder of the oil you can pay yourself for the chronometer, and Mr. Harry Skillings for the trade I had from him. Sell the balance, including the large cargo-boat, as soon as an opportunity offers. Anything left over you can give to the people that have been kind to you, and the natives. Out of the proceeds of the sale you can pay for the pa.s.sage of my natives to Samoa, if they want to go there. If not, see them back on their own island, or on some of the Kingsmill group, that they may get with their own country people.

My native boy Toby I wish you to take to Samoa, and look after him as well as you can; also Kitty, as they have no father or mother. Both were given to me by the king of Hope Island. The stores I left behind are for you and the natives to live on till you can get away. Be careful of the little trade I leave you, as the Strong's islanders want payment for everything you get of them to eat. You will also bear in mind that the king owes me 12,100 cocoa-nuts, the balance of the 48,000 that he agreed to pay me for the property stolen by the Strong's islanders at the time of the loss of the brig.

I write an accompanying letter to each of my agents. You will have to settle with them by their own accounts, as my trade-book was lost, as you know. The balance, after paying for your own pa.s.sage and expense, you can hand over to my agent at Samoa.--Wishing you a safe arrival there and every success, I remain, yours in good faith,

(Signed) W. H. HAYSTON.

Circular.

DOWNING STREET, _31st May 1875_.

SIR,--With reference to my circular despatch of 13th instant, I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a note addressed by the Duc de Decazes to Her Majesty's Minister at Paris, in consequence of the communication on the subject of the lawless proceedings of W. H. Hayston in the South Seas, which the Earl of Derby caused to be made to the French Government, also those of Germany and the United States.--I am, etc.,

CARNARVON.

The Officer Administering the Government of Queensland.

THE DUC DE DECAZES TO MR. ADAMS.

(Copy.)

PARIS, _le 10 mai 1875_.

M. LE MINISTRE,--J'ai port la connaissance de mon collgue les informations que vous m'avez fait l'honneur de me transmettre, relativement un personnage dangereux, du nom de Hayston, qui se serait signal par de nombreux actes de dprdation dans les Iles de l'Ocanie. M. l'Amiral de Montaigne rpondant ma communication m'annonce qu'il signalera par le premier courrier cet individu au Commandant en Chef de notre division navale dans l'Ocan Pacifique. Il adressera en outre M. l'Amiral Rebout les instructions ncessaires pour que ce flibustier soit surveill de prs et mis, le cas chant, hors d'tat de poursuivre son industrie criminelle.--Agrez, etc.,

(Signed) DUC DE DECAZES.

M. Adams.

CHAPTER XIII

H.M.S. ROSARIO

As we pulled up alongside we saw her bulwarks forward crowded with the blue-jackets. The Captain's quick eye, which nothing escaped, detected among them the bronzed faces of Dan Gardiner and another trader whom he had left at Providence Island.

"She's come to take me, sure enough," he said to me. "The moment I looked at those two fellows they dropped back out of sight. Never mind, come aboard and I'll see it through."

As soon as we gained the deck he advanced towards a group of officers standing on the quarter-deck, and, raising his hat, said, "Good morning, gentlemen. I am Captain Hayston of the brig _Leonora_, cast away on this island in the earlier part of the year."

There was a moment's silence; then a tall man, the captain of the cruiser, stepped out from the others, surveyed Hayston from head to foot, and said, "Oh, ah, indeed! then you are the very man I am looking for. This is Her Majesty's ship _Rosario_, and you are a prisoner, Mr.

Hayston!"

Hayston simply bowed and said nothing, retiring to the port side, where he was placed under the charge of the sergeant-major of marines, who, as also all others on board, looked with intense curiosity at the man of whose doings they had heard so much in their cruises in the Pacific Ocean.

The man-of-war captain then demanded my name, after which I was considerably staggered by the announcement that he had instructions to apprehend me on the charge of stealing the ketch _E. A. Wilson_, the property of Messrs. Miller and Warne of Samoa.

Hayston at once came forward, and, addressing the captain, said that I had simply brought that vessel to him at Mill, and could produce written instructions from the owners to hand the vessel over to him. To this no answer was returned, and silence was maintained, for the _Rosario_ was now entering the pa.s.sage, and so interested was I at the novel surroundings of a man-of-war under steam, and so lost in admiration of the perfect discipline on board, that for the time being I forgot that the Captain of the _Leonora_ was a prisoner, and that I was also apprehended on a serious charge.

Slowly and gracefully the great ship steamed through the pa.s.sage, and brought up within a cable's length of the king's wharf, where the anchor plunged below to its resting-place on the coral bottom. No sooner had the man-of-war come to anchor than Mr. Morland and the native missionary, who followed him like a shadow, came on board, and were received by Her Majesty's representative. A consultation took place, after which I was separated from my companion, and, without being able to exchange a word of farewell, was hurried down to the gun-room. As I placed my foot on the ladder leading to the "'tween decks" I turned. He waved his hand to me in farewell. _We never met again!_

While I was detained in the gun-room a midshipman told me that Captain Hayston had been permitted to go on sh.o.r.e, under the charge of an officer, to collect his personal effects and write letters, as he had been informed that I would not be permitted to have any further communication with him.

The midshipman said that Mr. Morland had seemed surprised at Captain Hayston's not being put in irons, and was at that moment collecting evidence in order to formulate a series of charges against him before the captain of the _Rosario_. My informant added, "If Captain Hayston is such a blood-thirsty ruffian as he is described to be he certainly shows no indication of it."

Several of the warrant officers now gathered around and pressed me with questions concerning Hayston. One of them jocularly inquired where the Captain's harem was located, adding that it was a pity to separate him from them, and that there was plenty of room on board the _Rosario_ for ladies.

I was burning with anxiety to know on what particular charge Hayston had been arrested, and how the captain of the _Rosario_ had heard of the loss of the _Leonora_. They told me then that the _Rosario_ had been searching for Hayston for some time, under instructions from the Commodore of the Australian Station, to whom representations had been made concerning alleged depredations committed by him (Hayston) in the Line Islands. The _Rosario_ had visited a number of islands, and endeavoured to obtain evidence against Hayston, but that it had resulted in a failure, nearly every one, when it came to the point, declining to make any statement against him. The captain of the man-of-war then decided to proceed to Arrecifos, or Providence Island, which he knew to be one of Hayston's depts. On arrival he learned from the two white men there that so long an interval had pa.s.sed since his last visit that they fancied that the _Leonora_ had been lost.

These two men were taken on board, and the _Rosario_ made for Strong's Island. When within 400 miles she met the little _Matautu_, who signalled a wish to speak. As soon as Captain Warner boarded the man-of-war he informed the commander of the loss of the _Leonora_, and of Hayston's presence on the island. He also handed in several written charges made by himself against Hayston, and, as well as I can remember from what I was told, was about to return to his schooner when the _Morning Star_ hove in sight.

On board of the missionary brig was Mr. Morland, and a consultation then took place between the two captains and this gentleman, who was, of course, delighted to hear of the loss of the _Leonora_, and that Captain Hayston was to be taken prisoner.

The _Matautu_ then bore away on her course, and the _Morning Star_, after landing Mr. Morland at the weather side of the island, went on her way, leaving him ash.o.r.e, perfectly a.s.sured of his own safety and the immediate presence of the _Rosario_ in Chabral harbour.

I could now understand the hints given me by the queen, as well as the expression of triumph on the faces of the missionaries as they returned from their interview with the king.

Presently an officer came down and asked me if I wished to obtain my effects from the sh.o.r.e. I at once sent a message to Kusis to bring me a small chest, in which were my worldly goods, as well as my power of attorney and letters of instructions from former employers in Samoa. I was going to make inquiries about Hayston, when the officer requested me kindly enough not to ask him questions, as he could give me no information. He told me, however, that the captain of the _Rosario_ was at that moment engaged in hearing charges against Hayston made by the king, Mr. Morland, and two or three of the traders from Pleasant Island.