1-133 (Original)

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SYDNEY, NOVEMBER 13, 1813
The Endeavour, Captain Walker, returned from Otaheite on Tuesday last, the 9th. instant. She sailed from hence to Otaheite and contiguous islands the 23rd May; arrived at Matavai bay the 7th. of July; staid there and at Utitea about three weeks and off Eimao received a note from Mr. Sheily, of the Queen Charlotte, stating the capture of his vessel at the Paliseer Islands by the Otaheitans whom he had shipped as divers; In accomplishing which they had murdered Mr. Leslie, chief Mate, Mr. John Harris, second Mate, and Thomas Watson, a boy who was born in this Colony.
Mr. Shelly having had the vessel restored to him planned to accompany Mr. Walker back to the Paliseers, but this was prevented owing to a separation occasioned by the arrival of the American ship, New Hazard, Captain Dye, to refresh. She mounted 14 guns, had 35 men, and has escaped from an embargo at Macoa, bound for Salem. She made no attempt on the Endeavour, but was very friendly, and after a stay of five days, took her departure.
Next day the Endeavour weighed, and got out of Matavai, and seeing a brig close upon her, concluded it to be the Queen Charlotte, which they had not seen at all. In passing her Captain Walker bailed, and was answered from on board by Mr Bignell, nephew to Mr. Missionary Bignell ,that she was the brig, Daphne (of this place), and in possession of the Natives. Mr. Bignell was permitted to go on board the Endeavour.
Some time afterwards a boat being perceived going from the Daphne, Captain Walker pursued her; found her laden with plunder from the vessel, and abandoned by the Natives on his approach. In towing this boat to the Endeavour, a heavy fire of musketry was opened by the Natives from the Daphne, which was briskly returned, and a conflict commenced which lasted from half past seven to ten o'clock P.M.
Next morning it was found that the Natives had abandoned her, leaving on board five seamen, who together with Mr. Bignell, were the only survivors of the Daphne's ship's company. The melancholy circumstances of her capture by the Natives are as follows: Captain Michael Fodger, master of the Daphne, having shipped 25 Otaheitans as divers, proceeded to the Paliseers or Parmattoes. On the 28th. of August last, the native divers mutinied, led by a Lascar, named Amile, who had been shipped at Annah, one of the Paliseer Islands. Captain Fodger was knocked down with a club on his own deck, and rose no more. His things were afterwards stripped off and his body thrown over board.
Mr. Marcus Vanderkyse, chief mate, was next assaulted and wounded; but ran below, and making his way out at the cabin window, was seen no more. William Gill, a seaman, in running down to get the arms, was shot dead. Christian Kistaskey, seaman, was desperately wounded, and got below to conceal himself; but was afterwards brought on deck, and deliberately killed. Three others were wounded, and put on an uninhabited island without provisions, whither five of the unhappy companions of their misfortune had leaped over board, and escaped.
Mr. Bignell had been secured at the commencement of the assault, and held in custody; and together with five other seamen who had been spared, was forced by the Natives to sail the vessel to Matavai bay, where they arrived on the 31st. of the same month. Hendrick and Bignell navigated the Daphne. On arrival, a number of canoes came alongside, and the Natives took whatever they could lay hold of. [60] 
The Endeavour approached the Daphne, providentially but an hour and a half after her arrival, and anchored within pistol-shot. At night the Natives began removing the Sandle-wood and other plunder from the Daphne, when firing commenced between the two vessels under the circumstances previously stated.
The arch-scoundrel Amile, armed with a pistol, appeared to be very active in encouraging the Mutineers. He told them to fight well and take the Endeavour, and when they had two vessels, they could go where they liked; but during the night the Natives abandoned the Daphne. Amile was left on board, and it is believed he over slept himself, for he was found in the sail room next morning, when Captain Walker took possession of the Daphne and searched the vessel.
He was pointed out to Captain Walker, by the survivors on board the Daphne, as the principal Murderer, and they desired to kill him. Captain Walker said, No! but that he would take him on board the Endeavour, and hang him from the yard-arm, which fully met the wishes of the Daphne's people.
On board the Endeavour, Captain Walker said, Hang the Scoundrel, hang the Pirate directly. He was immediately run up to the yard-arm, and continued hanging about half an hour. While Amile was hanging, a pistol was fired at him. His body was hove over board.
Captain Fodger was guilty of great acts of cruelty in the Voyage towards the Natives, and this, no doubt, was the principal cause of the vessel being taken by the Natives. The two vessels left Otaheite in company for Port Jackson, the 14th September, and the Daphne arrived here also on Wednesday last.
While the brig Daphne was on passage from Sydney to Otaheite, Captain Fodger touched at the Palmerstone Islands, where he had left a Sealing Gang in 1811, consisting of four Englishmen and two Portuguese. One of the Englishmen swam off to the Daphne, and when she was about seven miles off Shore, informed Captain Fodger that John Bearback the principal of the Gang, and one Michael Cuff were killed; another was speared in the back, and the Man that swam off had ran into the woods and there remained until the Daphne arrived. Captain Fodger would not remain in order to get off the remainder of the Gang although his crew requested him to do so. The Man that swam off informed Captain Fodger that it was the Portuguese who had murdered his companions.
From thence the Daphne proceeded to Utitea and BolaBola to procure some Pork. From thence they touched at the Island of Eimao, where the Man who swam off at the Palmerstone Islands was left with Mr. Henry, the Missionary, to give information relative to the murdered men. Thence they made Otaheite, where six Natives were shipped as divers. Thence to Annah, where a further five Natives were shipped as well as Amile the Lascar.
From thence they proceeded to the Paliseers or Pearl Islands, and procured a quantity of Pearls and Pearl Shells; being short of provisions, the Daphne returned to Otaheite to procure further supplies, and the six Natives shipped there, not being paid for their services by Captain Fodger, ran ashore. The Europeans of the crew complained of the bad provisions given them, and Captain Fodger ordered five of those that complained to be turned on Shore without provisions or Clothes. He directed the Mate to shoot any man that went below for his Clothes or things, and one man was shot by Fodger through both thighs, and another was wounded with the butt-end of a pistol. The names of these people were William Ralph, George Roberts, John Can, James Welsh, and William Gerrard; at length he allowed them to take their Clothes, but he told a Native Chief to send his men after these Europeans, to strip them and beat their brains out with stones.
At Otaheite, Captain Fodger shipped fifteen other Natives as divers, and from thence sailed to Tabooway and Roorrootoo to ship more divers. At Rematera, three canoes, very small, came off to the ship with eighteen Natives, with fruit and other presents. The Captain invited them on board, and they appeared as if they had never before seen white people. They addressed the Europeans with the greatest reverence, fell down and clasped their feet, but their canoes were swamped alongside. The brig was standing out to sea; it blew fresh; the Land was about seven miles distant, and the Captain ordered the Mate to turn these islanders out of the ship, which was done in a very Cruel Manner. They were beaten with rope's ends, turned over the ship's sides, and while clinging on, their hands were beaten until they fell off. Fourteen out of the eighteen were drowned at a very short distance from the brig.
At Leevoovoi, the Chief of the Island came on board and offered to sell Captain Fodger some Sandle-wood for English Clothes; the Captain offered him a few Tokens which the Chief refused. The Captain then made a prisoner of the Chief, and told him he would not be released until the Sandle-wood was brought on board. Next day, the islanders brought off the Sandle-wood, about a ton and a half, and the Chief was then liberated, but the Captain gave him only two puppy Dogs and a piece of bad Otaheita Cloth.
From thence, the Daphne went to Annah, and then to Arnon, and on the 28th of August, the Otaheitans and other Natives mutinied as before stated.
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