CHAP, dying immediately, Menalee reloaded, and deliberately despatched him
by a second discharge. He afterwards attacked Tetaheite, who was
Dec. condoling with Young’s wife for the loss of her favourite black, and
would have murdered him also, but for the interference of the women.
Afraid to remain longer in the village, he escaped to the mountains
and joined Quintal and !M‘Coy, who, though glad of his services, at
first received him with suspicion. This great acquisition to their force
enabled them to bid defiance to the opposite party; and to show their
strength, and that they were provided with muskets, they appeared on
a ridge of mountains, within sight of the village, and fired a volley
which so alarmed the others that they sent Adams to say, that if they
would kill the black man, Menalee, and return to the village, they would
all be friends again. The terms were so far complied with that Menalee
was shot; but, apprehensive of the sincerity of the remaining blacks,
they refused to return while they were alive.
Adams says it was not long before the widows of the white men
so deeply deplored their loss, that they determined to revenge their
death, and concerted a plan to murder the only two remaining men of
colour. Another account, communicated by the islanders, is, that it
W’as only part of a plot formed at the same time that Menalee was
murdered, which could not be put in execution before. However this
may be, it w*as equally fatal to the poor blacks. The arrangement was,
that Susan should murder one of them, Tetaheite, while he was sleeping
by the side of his favourite; and that Young should at the same instant,
upon a signal being given, shoot the other, Nehow. The unsuspecting
Tetaheite retired as usual, and fell by the blow of an axe; the other
was looking at Young loading his gun, which he supposed was for the
purpose of shooting hogs, and requested him to put in a good charge,
when he received the deadly contents.
In this manner the existence of the last of the men of colour terminated,
w'ho, though treacherous and revengeful, had, it is feared, too
much cause for complaint. I ’he accomplishment of this fatal scheme
was immediately communicated to the two absentees, and their return
solicited. But so many instances of treachery had occurred, that they
would not believe the report, though delivered by Adams himself, until
the hands and heads of the deceased were produced, which being done,
they returned to the village. This eventful day was the Sd October,
1793. There were now left upon the island, Adams, Young, M'Coy,
and Quintal, ten w’omen, and some children. Two months after this
period, Young commenced a manuscript journal, which affords a
good insight into the state of the island, and the occupations of the
settlers. From it we learn, that they lived peaceably together, building
their houses, fencing in and cultivating their grounds, fishing, and
catching birds, and constructing pits for the purpose of entrapping
hogs, which had become very numerous and wild, as well as injurious
to the yam-crops. The only discontent appears to have been among
the women, who lived promiscuously with the men, frequently changing
their abode.
Young says, March 12, 1794, “ Going over to borrow a rake, to
rake the dust off my ground, I saw Jenny having a skull in her hand ;
I asked her whose it was? and was told it was Jack Williams’s. I
desired it might he buried: the women who were with Jenny gave me
for answer, it should not. I said it should; and demanded it accordingly.
I was asked the reason why I, in particular, should insist on such
a thing, when the rest of the white men did not ? I said, if they gave
them leave to keep the skulls above ground, I did not. Accordingly
when I saw M‘Coy, Smith, and Mat. Quintal, I acquainted them with
it, and said, I thought that if the girls did not agree to give up the
heads of the five white men in a peaceable manner, tJiey ought to be
taken by force, and buried.” About this time the women appear to
have been much dissatisfied; and Young's journal declares that, “ since
the massacre, it has been the desire of the greater part of them to
get some conveyance, to enable them to leave the island.” This feeling
continued, and on the 14th April, 1794, was so strongly urged, that
the men began to build them a boat; but wanting planks and nails,
Jenny, who now resides at Otaheite, in her zeal tore up the boards of
her house, and endeavoured, though without success, to persuade some
others to follow her example.
On the 13th August following, the vessel was finished, and on the
15th she was launched : but, as Young says, “ according to expectation
K
CIIAP.
HI,
Dec.
1825.
^1
4] ^ I
rs|
n