The Story of the Snow Elinora.

A True Tale of the South Seas That Tells of the Remarkable Experience of an American Trading-Vessel and Its Skipper's Terrible Revenge, More Than a Century Ago.

At the time that Commodore Dewey's squadron hurled its showers of lead and steel upon the doomed ships of the Spanish admiral in Manila Bay, scores of mushroom bards uncovered their lyres and described the sensations of the echoes that had the honor of bearing, "for the first time in the history of the world," the sounds of Yankee guns among the startled islands of the Pacific. But the bards were wrong. The echoes performed that office during the first administration of George Washington as President of the United States.

The incident is one which apparently has escaped the notice of historians, else it would have been recalled shortly before the close of last year when political circles in France were somewhat fluttered by a rumor that as a result of a series of secret negotiations the French government had expressed its willingness to sell to the United States the island of Tahiti.

The rumor was soon denied officially, but in the meantime thousands of Americans had taken down their atlases, looked up the situation of the island, and asked themselves what the United States wanted with it anyway.

But there was a little story concerning the island of Tahiti, formerly known as Otaheite, that the atlases and gazetteers did not give them—the story of a Yankee skipper's revenge. It tells how American guns commanded respect for the flag in the South Seas in the year 1790.

The Yankee skipper was Captain Metcalfe, who then was in command of an armed trading vessel named the Elinora. The Elinora was a snow—which, it may be worth while to explain, was an old-fashioned variety of brig. Her crew consisted of Americans, Portuguese, and some natives picked up at Manila. The account of the remarkable adventure is printed in The Gentleman's Magazine, published in London, April, 1791. The writer, who was one of the officers of the Elinora at the time, relates his story with brutal frankness, and his narration resulted in a vast deal of comment abroad that was somewhat galling to the citizens of the new-born republic of the United States.

The account, as published in The Gentleman's Magazine, is as follows:

Story Told by an Officer.

Mobee, Lat. 19 N., Long. 168 E.

On or about the 30th of January, 1790, we anchored under Ladrone Mount, and commenced a trade with the natives for hogs, fruit, limes, fish, etc.; but not liking the situation, we weighed anchor and went two miles farther up into a bay, and came to anchor about 4 p.m.

At eleven or twelve o'clock, midnight, some of the natives swam off and cut away the cutter from astern. At 1 p.m. we discovered that she was missing, and immediately called all hands aft on the quarter-deck and found none missing except the man who was in her as boat-keeper. We then hoisted the small boat out to go in search of her, but found, on lowering her into the water, she leaked in such a manner as obliged us to hoist her in again, which rendered it impossible to search that night.

On the preceding evening an old man requested permission to sleep on board, which was granted; but after missing the boat we put him in irons. When daylight approached, no canoes came off as usual, which confirmed our suspicions that they had cut the boat adrift.

The women on board wished to go on shore. Captain Metcalfe told them they might go when they thought proper. They all immediately leaped into the water and swam to the shore, at least three miles' distance. The old man also requested leave to go, but leave was not granted him.

In the afternoon two or three canoes came alongside, with presents from the chief, consisting of hogs and fruit; but they were not accepted. The last that came we ordered immediately away; but they paid little attention to it, until we fired musket-shots at them, which killed and wounded three or four.

Tried to Sink Ship with Knife.

Toward night a man swam from the shore to the cable, with a knife in his hand, and afterward swam under the ship's counter, where we saw him with the knife; he had once or twice dived under water and started a piece of copper off the ship's bottom, imagining, could he get the copper off, the ship would sink. Captain Metcalfe fired a pistol at him from the cabin window, but missed him. Three or four of the people jumped into the boat and caught him. After bringing him on board, Captain Metcalfe fully determined to hang him, ordering a rope to be rove at the fore-yardarm and the rope greased. But, by the persuasion of Mr. Chambers and myself, he concluded to save his life and keep him prisoner.

The next day we observed four or five thousand people to come down opposite the ship, all armed with slings, spears, and arrows. At ten o'clock we hauled the ship within a quarter of a mile of the shore, and fired round and grape shot at them, and dislodged them from the village.

At twelve o'clock I went on shore with the boat and six men, set fire to the village and morai (a place of worship). Some of them were seen very near, but, by constant firing from the ship, they did not attempt to attack us.

I came on board and took some small water-casks to fill with water. But after landing (that attention not being paid to firing as before) the natives came down—great numbers, throwing their spears and stones, which obliged us to go on board again, our object unaccomplished.

They then all went to the summit of a hill, thinking the shot from the ship could not reach them there. But we fired two guns with such good aim that they were soon convinced of their error, and immediately fled to the mountains and low ditches, where it was impossible for our shot to touch them. We then desisted from firing, hove up the anchors, and went farther up the bay in hope of completing our water.

The Chief Accepted Ransom.

Toward evening we again came to an anchor, and on the next morning two or three canoes came off, who were well treated, so that more came off and engaged to bring us water, and the captain purchased a small boy and girl for two axes and a few beads.

After continuing here three or four days we weighed anchor and stood from the island.

We had been under way about an hour and a half, with a light breeze, when the natives came in a canoe alongside and informed us that the chief of the people who had stolen the boat lived behind a point to the northward. We then hauled our wind, went around the point, and came to anchor.

The next day a canoe came alongside with one of their chiefs. When he came on board we began to expostulate with him in order to recover our boat and the man. He told us that for a reward he would bring both of them. Captain Metcalfe offered him a musket, eight cartridges, one bar of iron, and a piece of Bengal cloth for the man, and the same for the boat, which he agreed to.

The next morning he again came on board and said if we would send a boat on shore, or near the shore, he would bring the man. Immediately, by order of Captain Metcalfe, I armed the boat and went near the shore; but after waiting an hour, paying attention to their proceedings, and their not bringing the man, I returned on board.

The chief then came off a second time and said if the boat went again we might depend upon getting the man. I armed the boat, and again went toward shore, where, after waiting half an hour, they sent a man, who swam to the boat, with the thigh bones of the man who was boat-keeper when they stole the boat.

I received them and came on board, showed them to Captain Metcalfe, and threw them into the sea. A few minutes afterward the same chief came on board for the reward. It was given, and he was also told that if he brought the boat the reward should be given for that also, for he insisted that it was not hurt.

Sacrificed Seaman to Gods.

He then told us the manner in which they had killed the boat-keeper, as follows: That after cutting away the post, and she had drifted a distance from the ship, they got into her and found the man asleep; but he immediately awoke, and, seeing them, drew his knife upon them. They, however, overpowered him and took the knife from him, cut his head off, and took him on shore, and the next night burned him for a sacrifice to their gods.

We judged the night they stole the boat they killed the man, and the next day burnt him (as the mountains seemed to be one continuous blaze), which is their custom on such occasions, but were not then positive of the above.

After relating the story, he desired of the captain that the natives might come and trade as usual. Leave being granted, he went on shore, and just at sunset he came off again in a large double canoe with twenty-five women. But the captain, suspecting they had some design in the night to take the vessel, would not permit them to come on board.

The day following, the canoes, as usual at the other islands, came alongside with hogs, fruit, limes, etc. The chief had told them they might come and trade without molestation.

At 10 a.m. the chief came alongside, with two others, and had in their canoe the keel of the boat which they had stolen. After he came, he called and wanted the reward which was promised. Captain Metcalfe was informed of his being alongside, and of his having the boat's keel. He then came on deck and saw it, and, being then perfectly convinced of the man's being killed and the boat broken, made this expression—that, "I will now give the reward they little expect."

The Captain Was Merciless.

Mr. Chambers and myself endeavored to persuade the captain to entice the three chiefs on board, and afterward to hang them on the foreyard in view of the whole island; which might, perhaps, be sufficient warning for them in future never to attempt distressing any ships which might touch at their islands.

But our persuasions were of no effect. He was fully determined to take the following means of punishing them: First, to decoy those canoes which were on the larboard to come to the starboard side, then to station one man to each post lanyard, and others down to the guns, between decks, while others on the quarter-deck were stationed at the swivels and four brass guns, and, when everything was in readiness, to fire immediately into the canoes all at one command.

The guns that were below had on each of them a hundred musket-balls and fifty langrage nails. There were seven of the above guns, each containing the like quantity. The four guns on the quarter-deck had in them fifty balls each; some of the swivels had ten balls.

Mr. Chambers and myself strongly insisted that this punishment was too severe, and only butchering a number of innocent women and children. But he replied, we were going to attempt taking the command of the ship from him, and that the orders should be obeyed, and immediately ordered every man to his station.

The men wished to fire into the canoes, as the man whom they had killed was a Manila man and the crew were all Portuguese or Manila men.

After the people were all stationed he gave orders to fire—and the whole broadside was aimed direct at the canoes. To attempt to describe the horrible scene that ensued is too much for my pen. The water alongside continued of a crimson color for at least ten minutes; some were sinking, others lying half out of their canoes, without arms or legs; while others lay in their canoes weltering in their blood.

Although the appearance was so horrid, our people wished to get into the boats and use boarding-pikes to kill those in the water; but by severely punishing two or three they desisted from their dreadful purpose.

The Harvest of Death.

Some persons on board said they had counted the canoes before we fired, the number of which was two hundred and twelve; but I did not think they were above one hundred and seventy or eighty. The number killed, we then imagined, exceeded one hundred, and as many more wounded; but, some weeks after, they told us the number missing on the island was eighty and one hundred and fifteen were wounded, the greater part dead and dying fast.

This information they gave us at the island of Owyhee, about fifteen leagues to windward; and we judged it to be true, as canoes are daily passing from island to island. After our firing ceased we weighed anchor and stood for the island of Owyhee.

I have sent this account, as those who are acquainted with the circumstance think Captain Metcalfe much to blame; and that should any vessels go to these islands from America they might be particularly cautious, and not pay too much attention to the friendship professed for them by these islanders.

P.S.—They cut off a schooner about six weeks after, which belonged to Captain Metcalfe, and murdered all the people.