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BULLY HAYES THE PIRATE'
TRUE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH SEAS BUCCANEER.
(Written for 'The Mail' by A. T. Saunders, North Adelaide.
The exploits of William Henry Hayes,
of New York, U.S.A., born in 1829, have
been the theme of many Australian writ-
ers, especially Louis Becke, who knew him
especially, and 'Rolfe Boldrewood,' who
says in 'A Modern Buccaneer': — ''Hayes
was a giant 6 ft. 4 in. high. In 1855 he
joined the American Navy, serving with
great gallantry under Admiral Farragut. '
This is wrong. Hayes was under 6 ft.
high, Farragut was only a commander in
1855, and Hayes was in Australia when
Farragut was an admiral. It is doubtful
if Hayes was ever in the American or any
other navy, but he probably said he was,
for he was a liar and a boaster. In a
British Bluebook of 1873 it is said that
Hayes was a "big stout man with his ears
cut off." This must have occurred after
Hayes left Australia. Becke is about as
unreliable as Hayes, for he was only born
in 1857, yet he says he was in the Mar-
shall Islands about 1870.
In an interview with the South Austra-
lian "Register" of June 23 1896, Becke
says of Hayes: - "Yes, I knew Bully Hayes, and although he was a most pas-
sionate scamp he would do very kindly
actions. All the native races liked him.
He had wonderful influence over the na-
tive races, and also over white men. If
they had not any kind of affection for him
at least they were damnably afraid of him.
Becke wrote to Earl Pembroke, who had
sailed in the South Seas and was the author of "South Sea Bubbles" printed in 1872, that Hayes was "a born scoundrel"
but in the Mitchell Library, Sydney, in
Becke's own writing is this - Personally
I had a great esteem for this strange
man of many moods, and I shall always
remember my long association with him with pleasure.
I have fortunately been able to hear of
Hayes from my aunt, Mrs. Allen (nee Galway), who is still living, and who was
bom in Ireland in 1829, and arrived in
Sydney in 1837 in the Adam Lodge. She came from Sydney to Port Adelaide in the Juno, landing in January, 1848. She was married in 1850, and first met Hayes in Singapore at the end of 1856. Besides Mrs. Allen there are several surviving
Portonians who knew Hayes, notably Mr. C. H. T. Connor, and Mr. R. H. Allen.
Hayes arrived in Singapore with an American brig which was seized for debt and sold by the Vice-Admiralty Court, and Hayes was stranded; but he was a charming young man of good appearance and manners, had a good voice, sang nicely, and was generally liked, especially by women. A Singapore merchant, Mr. Webster, bought a barque of 187 tons, the C. W. Bradley Junior, and
gave Hayes in charge of her. This was in December 1856. The Swallow, of which Mrs. Allen's husband was master and owner, was loading for Fremantle, and
Hayes was introduced to Mrs. Allen. The
'Swallow sailed, leaving the C. W. Bradley in Singapore, it being understood that she was to go to Singapore for rice.
In the Singapore Straits the Swallow had to anchor for the night, as the wind
fell and the current was strong. Next
morning as they were lifting their anchor, the C. W. Bradley sailed up to
them. Capt. Allen hailed her and said
to Hayes: - I thought you were going to Rangoon."
Hayes replied, "We don't tell our busi-
ness to everybody. I am going to drift about China."
The vessels parted company, and some
time after, owing to an accident to her
water tank, the Swallow had to put back
to Balli, consequently she did not arrive
at Fremantle until March 18, 1857, when
Capt. and Mrs. Allen were astonished to hear that only eight days previously the C. W. Bradley had sailed for Adelaide,
that Hayes had arrived in Fremantle on
January 30, and had been the "lion" of
Perth for about six weeks. Further, he had astonished the natives generally, and had entertained the Chief Justice and the
elite of the place on board his barque,
made many valuable presents to lady
friends, engaged himself to marry Miss
Scott. the daughter of the harbourmaster,
and had taken her brother with him to
Adelaide. This was true, and when the
Swallow was nest in Singapore the key
to the mystery was given them. Hayes
had bolted with the ship from Singapore,
first getting all the goods he could on
credit, and then sailing to Batavia,
wheee he bought silks and other Eastern
produce, paid for by drafts on his owner
Mr. Webster, of Singapore.
The C. W. Bradley arrived in Adelaide
from Frcmantle on March 24, with 94 pas-
sengers. Her cargo was 15 cases gin (Capt.
Hayes) and six cases cherry brandy,
to order. On March 27, it was advertised
that the C. W. Bradley, with excellent
passenger accommodation, would sail for
Swan River via King George's Sound on
April 3, 1857, and she cleared for Fre-
mantle via Robetown with 86 Chinese pas-
sengers and a few bags of floor and wheat.
The Chinese were to be landed at Robe,
bat they were not. The "Register"'
says:- "The remaining portion of the Chi-
nese by the Estrella -Do-Norte took pas-
sage for Portland by the Havilah. They
had arranged to proceed to Guichen Bay
by the C. W. Bradley. but afterwards de-
murred to the amount of the passage
money they had bargained for. A short
time before the Bradley weighed anchor
they requested the captain to comply with
the terms of the original agreement, but
this he indignantly refused to do, and
the vessel sailed for Fremantle ''
Hayes arrived in Fremantle early in
May, but met with a cool reception . His
deeds were then public property, and his
"swell" friends cut him. He lived in
the Emerald Isle Hotel, kept by Widow
Marmion, and on June 24 again sailed
for Adelaide with 99 passengers. He ar-
rived in Port Adelaide on Friday, July
2, his cargo being six cases of sago, and
one ease of ironmongery. On the evening
of Saturday, July 4. Capt. W H. Hayes,
of the C. W. Bradley, entcriained on
board his vessel a party of gentlemen,
American and English. Loyal toasts were
given and responded to, and compliments
of international esteem were reciprocated.
The Adelaide authorities were not
charmed with Capt. Hayes's passengers,
for 'of the passengers from Swan River
by the Lochinvar and C. W. Bradley, 87
are conditionally pardoned men.' To
prevent this sort of thing continuing the
Influx of Criminals Act was soon passed.
Hayes was in Port Adelaide for about
a week when he was put out of the ship,
and on July 12 she was advertised for
absolute sale to the highest bidder, and
on July 22 sbe was sold to John New-
man for £1,250, and renamed the Federa-
tion, in honour of the anticipated federal
union of the colonies.' On July 16. 1857,
the Swallow arrived in Port Adelaide,
when Capt. and Mrs. Allen again met
Hayes, but, as they ouly stayed for a
week they did not see much of him. After
the sale of the C. W. Bradley Capt.
Hayes enjoyed himself in Adelaide and
Port Adelaide, making hosts of friends,
and buying largely from the local trades-
men, and borrowing money from many
of them. Of course, the ladies came in
for their share of his attention, and on
September 1 it is advertised that on
August 25, at Penwortham, South Aust-
tralia, William Henry Hayes, Esq., late
commander of the American barque C.
W. Bradley, Jun., was married to Mrs
Amelia Littleton,' who kept a small shop
in Qneenstown, close to Port Adelaide.
And married Hayes was, for I have a copy
of the certificate, which says Hayes was
28 and his bride was 24. An Anglican
parson, Mr. Wood, married them, and in
1862 Mr. and Mrs. Wood were passengers
to Sydney in the Schah Jehan, with Mrs.
Allen, and from Mr. and Mrs. Wood Mrs.
Allen had particulars of his marriage.
When Hayes called at the parsonage to
arrange matters, Mrs. Wood, on hearing
that Mrs. Littleton was at the inn, sug-
gested she should come to the parsonage
for the night, which Hayes indignantly de-
clined. They were married next day, and
Hayes gave Mr. Wood £10 and a roll
of grass cloth to make a surplice, which
Mr. Wood displayed with pride on board
the Schah Jehan. In October, 1857, Mrs.
Allen again arrived at Port Adelaide, and
renewed her acquaintance with Hayes, for
the time without a ship. At the end of
October, Mrs. Allen sailed for Madras.
On December 4, 1857, the Portuguese
ship Estrella-De-Norte, of 518 tons, which
had brought Chinese from Macao and was
lying in the stream at Port Adelaide was
seized by the Vtce-Admiralty Conrt at
the suit of E. G. Collinson, who was agent
for Hayes, for a bottomry bond of £3,000,
maritime interest at 30 per cent., £900,
and costs £50, and Hayes was made cap-
tain of her.
New Year's Day, 1858, was a great day
in Port Adelaide. A grand regatta was
held, the Goverrtor (Sir Richard Graves
Macdonnell) attended, and the Ladies
Purse was made by Lady Macdonnell, so
it was a swell function. In the ships'
gig race was the Eetrella-Do-Norte, owner
Capt. Hayes, coxswain Thomas. The
Nancy won, and Hayes's boat was second,
but the Estrella, owned by Capt. Hayes,
'won handsomely' the Ladies Purse
after 'a splendid and closely contested
race.' The Estrela's crew, consisting of
the elite of Port Adelaide, was only made
up the evening' before the race. It con-
sisted of Robert Main, W. L. Mackie, W.
S. M. Hntton, and C. H. T. Connor,
coxswain being J. C. Hawker. Mr. Con-
nor, now manager of the Adelaide Mil-
ling Company, is the only survivor.
Hayes challenged the Vision and Nancy
to race the gig of the Estrella-Do-Norte.
A match, for 25 sovs. was arranged, to
come off on January 5, and at the ap-
pointed time Hayes, in his gig, was at
the starting post, but the others did not
turn up.
F. W. Richards was cook on the Es-
trella-Do-Norte; and was before the Court
for being absent without leave, but as he
expressed contrition he was ordered on
board at the request of Capt. Hayes. In
January 1858, the blow fell for a yonng
man of 'plausible exterior,' who had
been swindling tradesmen in Port Ade-
laide for some moriths, found his way to
the Semaphore, ordered supper and a bed
to avoid suspicion, then engaged a boat
to take him to the Havilah, and left in
her for Melbourne. This set the Port
people thinking about another handsome
and plausible gentleman named Hayes,
who had bought and borrowed freely from
them. They pressed him for their money,
so on February 9, 1858, William Henry
Hayes, of Port Adelaide, master mariner,
declared himself insolvent, and appointed
Richard Hicks, a solicitor, his attorney.
On February 24 Hayes swore he was
not prepared to make a full disclosure, and
asked the Insolvency Court, for an exten-
sion to March 19, which was granted.
"On March 16,'' says a press report,
'Port Adelaide was furnished with a to-
pic of conversation by the departure of
a gallant captain who was recently ga-
zetted. No idea of his whereabouts was
known till the schooner Waitemata ar-
rived towing, a small sail boat which she
had picked up off Glenelg, with a Por-
tuguese and a negro in her. It was then
evident that the missing captain bad
boarded the brig Fayaway, and was sail-
ing down the gulf. The tug Young Aus-
tralian was chartered, and several credi-
tors and tbe police made an abortive at-
tempt to recapture the fugitive insolvent
debtor. At about 6 pjn. the steamer was
within three miles of the brig, but in the
darkness she slipped out of sight, a storm
came on, a heavy sea rose, and the credi-
tors, sick, wet, and miserable, resolved
to forego further search.'
On March 19 Lawyer Hicks attended
at the Insolvency Court and said Hayes
had suddenly left the province not in-
tending to return. Hayes's liabilities
were £5,951 18/5, assets £2,297 14/2. Cob-
bin, a tailor and draper, was the only
creditor who proved his debt, which to-
talled £141 0/7, comprising money lent
£15, silk dress £10 10/, silk mantle
£4 10/, two suits £17 16/, four hats £5,
and the balance for dress kid gloves and
sundries. On April 9, on the steps of the
Courthouse, William Henry Hayes was
thrice invited to surrender himself to the
Insolvency Court 'on pain of punish-
ment.' It is doubtful if Hayes did get
away in the brig. I think he got aboard
the schooner Perseverance, which sailed
for Portland, Victoria, on March 15, and
an item which follows supports my idea.
Some people say he was on Kangaroo
Island for some time. That I doubt, as
he would not be safe from his creditors
and the police there. The Perseverance
probably put into American River, Kan-
garoo Island, weather bound, where Capt.
Hayes no doubt made himself agreeable,
as usual, and is said to be remembered
by survivors of the Reeves family. The
Perseverance apparently did not reach
Portland till early in April, as she sailed
thence for Belfast on April 8. On July
21, 1858, Mrs. Hayes arrived in Melbourne
from Adelaide in the Admella. and on
September 2, 1858, the British ship Ores-
tes, Capt. William H. Hayes, sailed from
Melbourne for Vancouver Island, with
Mrs. Hayes and a number of passengers,
just missing Capt. and Mrs. Allen, who
arrived from Singapore at Melbourne in
the brig Deva 12 days after. The Hono-
lulu 'Advertiser' of September 24, 1859,
says that the Orestes put into Honolulu
on her voyage to Vancouver Island. The
voyage so far had been one continuous
scene of trouble and bickering between
Capt. Hayes and his passengers. From
one of his passengers he had while in
Australia procured 2.000 dollars for the
purpose of investing it in liquor and sell-
ing the liquor on joint account to the
passengers during the voyage, but Hayes
forgot to buy the grog, and the impru-
dent speculator lost his money.
In Honolulu Hayes's wife - a lady of in-
teresting demeanour and irreproachable
character — procured a legal separation
from him on account of his brutality to
her.
Mr. Clement, the supercargo of the
Orestes, aud aldo agent for the owners,
discovered Hayes in some dishonest acts,
and put him out of tbe ship.
Hayes's wife became reconciled to him,
and they sailed from Honolulu for San
Francisco in the Adelaide, Hayes leaving
worthless drafts and other debts to about .
2,000 dollars behind him.
The following was written in
April, 1871, by the late Richard
Jagoe, of the Semaphore. It is
good reading, but contains several errors:
— How Hayes Bolted.— There are some
few in Port Adelaide, even at this date,
who remember Hayes, and also a few who
remember how he bolted; but in these
days of American filibustering manias it
is scarcely considered feasible that ever
South Australia coald prove a scene of la-
bours for a pirate, but to all intents and
purposes Hayes was about the bight and
two ends of one. and that, he flourished
in our port is a well-known fact. To
possess himself of another man's ship
was to him mere child's play, and the
writer well, knows he made raids on
about half a dozen while in and about
Soutn Australia. He had a fine appear-
ance for a shipmaster — full bodied yet
active, as a cat, ready to don kid gloves
and pay devoirs to ladies, or to swear in
a very heavy manner at seamen. The
very fact that he duped an old and much
respected merchant who had a stake in
Prince's Wharf was sufficient to show
that he was quite up to all the arts and
mysteries of maritime finance. But to
trace the matter to its sources, as far as
the colony is concerned, it is requisite to
state that his arrival here was somewhat
in a fog, seeing he came in a smart
barque, ostensibly belonging to himself,
but which was afterwards sold under him
by power of attorney from Singapore. He
had ingratiated himself into the good
graces of a merchant there, who gave
him charge of tbe Bradley, in which he
plied for Swan River, and thence to
Adelaide with timber. When he moored
in port his ship was a rendezvous for all
the bon vivants in and about the port.
Champagne breakfasts were common, and
late suppers frequent, but Hayes had his
eye to business, and while in the Port a
Portuguese vessel arrived which was in
want of money to pay her disbursements.
The master knew very little of English
customs, and this fact was taken advent-
age of by Hayes, who pretended to be
ihc friend in need to the foreigner. Cer-
tainly he would advance tbe cash, but as
he did so he took good care to have a
boud drawn, which secured to himself
the ship. Time wore away, and Hayes
made a second voyage for timber to the
Swan, and on his return was more lavish
than ever, and those hearts he could not
win by eloquence he overruled by cham-
pagne. Indeed, he played high holiday at
the port, for his ship was open to all
comers. Sometimes bankers &c., paid at-
tention to the polite Hayes, and at others
his vessel was the scene of orgies such as
Sam Weller or Verdant Green would cen-
sure severely. Time progressed, and
Hayes kept the high hand as long as pos-
sible, but the game was too high to last.
In the height of his glory tradesmen were
desirous to secure his custom, and in con-
sequence he became deeply involved, but
never for a moment flinched. The higher
the game, the deeper would he play. When
a power of attorney arrived from the
owners in Singapore to sell the ship from
under him, he very nicely bamboozled the
agents to let it appear he was selling on
his own account in order to take charge
of the North Star, the vessel he had ad-
vanced, money on. He actually took the
head of the table at the auction lunch, and
and talked louder than any one of the merits
of the barque and her desirable qualities.
As soon as he shifted over to the North
Star there was a change in his establish-
ment, and duns became more importun-
ing than ever. He was heavily in debt to
all sorts of tradesmen, and kept very
quiet, lest he should be arrested upon
some suit, for it was well known that his
tether was almost run out. It chanced
that one morning at daylight the brig
Fayaway sailed over the bar, and with a
light northerly wind made sail down the
gulf, and not long had she passed the sta-
tions at the Semaphore before a man nam-
ed Gaularte and a negro named Green
pulled into the beach, for there was no
jetty then. They were in a small dinghy,
wet through and very wretched. "Where
are you from?" said the officer on duty.
Gaularte was a Portuguese, whose broken
English was somewhat amusing. "From
dat brig, where dat ram wretch Hayes
has made me for to put him, and he owes
me £10 for wages. News was not long
in spreading that Hayes had bolted, and on his creditors holding a meeting, it was
resolved to club up, charter a steamer,
and go away in chase. No time was lost
in "firing up" and soon the steamtug left
the wharf to overhaul the brig, though
she had a very long start. No sooner
had a head of steam than the paddles
revolved, and. she slowly headed down
atream after her quarry. At the North
Arm there lay an insignificant schooner
bonnd for Portland, but she was only no-
ticed en passant, as the paddles increased
in revolutions, and by the time the outer
bar was reached the gallant little steamer
was making good headway. Not a sign
of the recalcitrant, brig was visible but
down the coast tbe steamer sped to
cut off escape by way of Backstairs Pas-
sage. Some of the creditors were sea sick,
but others were not, and vows were taken
of what should be done when Hayes was
captured. Towards midday the brig was
ieen, and having once caught a glance at
the chase the spirits of the pursuers were
aroused, so that any man among them
would have sat on the safety valve to keep
np steam. Heaven sends wind, but it
takes money to make steam, and so
the creditors found as the light breeze
kept the brig head-reaching so fast that
the overhaul was scarcely perceptible. The
day was rapidly closing when with the
setting sun a spanking breeze sprang up,
and tbe master of the tug quietly announc-
ed that unless the passengers were pre-
pared for a voyage to Melbourne it was
useless to follow the brig. Then came
another council of war, and as all hopes
of capturing Hayes had vanished, tbe ma-
jority were in favour of returning to their
wives and families. "Hard a starboard!'
roared the master as the gallant little
boat headed round on the return cruise,
and paddled away for the lightship as if no
Hayes was in existence. Those not affect-
ed with mal-de mer snoozed on the lock-
ers, and there were very few on deck
when the steamer passed Point Malcolm.
Here she met a small schooner, which was
hailed, and proved the Perseverance, from
Port Adelaide, bound to Portland. She
it was that they had passed at the North
Arm, and passed again at Port Malcolm,
and it subsequently proved that she it was
that transported Hayes from South Aus-
tralia, for the landing of Ganlarte and
the negro at the Semaphore was only a
blind to future proceedings,. and when
he afterwards wrote to a friend in Port
Adelaide he stated that when at the
North Arm he was amused to see his
creditors so carefully pass by and chase
the very brig he was not on board of.
As for Gaularte and Green, they were con-
federates who landed in a hurry and com-
pletely shifted the scene from the Per-
severance to the Fayaway. Hayes cleared
away securely, and afterwards distinguish-
ed himself in tbe South Sea Islands, in
Batavia, and in other places south of
the line, his latest known exploit being
the purchase of the missionary ship John
Williams, when stranded on a reef. It is
now supposed that he it is who has
started the filibustering idea, and that he
is equal to the emergency the writer has
not a doubt. Whatever he may be in his
relation to society, there are very few
who could teach him very much as a sai-
lor, for, although a heavy man, it hap-
pened the writer was on board his ship
when a very severe gale suddenly sprang
up, and from all plain sail she was reduced
to close-reefed topsails. The crew were
not as smart as he desired in obeying the
pilot's orders, and to teach them a lesson
at implicit obedience to authority Hayes
took to the shrouds and in a trice seated
himself in the weather bridle of the main
topsail — an example which might be fol-
lowed with propriety by some of the
slack-in-stays' seamen of the period. As
a seaman he was to be admired, but for
principle be was to be scouted, seeing tbat
for many years of his life he had played,
upon those whose gullibility was food for
him. The Otranto, Bradley, Orestes,
North Star, Black Diamond, Launceston,
and half a dozen others were sacrificed
to him, but he somehow managed to clear
his heels in everv chase. Once the Dutch
Government at Batavia lodged him in dur-
arce vile, but he evaded the penalty, and
when in cbarge of the Rona he had a
narrow escape in the South Sea Islands;
and while it is a matter of regret to see
a shipmaster so thoroughly disgrace his
profession, it is singular in his nefarious
proceedings he has never been brought up
all standing.
We next hear of Hayes in 'Frisco. The
San Francisco 'Herald' of September 5,
1859 says:—
A BOLD OPERATOR.
Some time ago a Capt. Hayes purchased
the brig Ellenita from M. S. Morrison,
of this city, for 800 dollars. He paid
nearly 500 dollars of the purchase money,
and then had the brig placed upon the
ways of Mr. Hitchener, where she was
thoroughly overhauled and repaired.
Finding his indebtedness pressing upon
him, and that the brig was about to be
libelled, be applied to eminent counsel in
this city, by whose exertions the libel
was staved off for two weeks. About
half-past 2 o'clock on Monday morning
tbe Ellenita got under way and sailed
from this port, leaving all her debts un-
paid, and without taking out a clearance
or being in possession of a single paper.
Yesterday the steam tug Martin White
was sent in pursuit, but returned in the
evening without being able to see or hear
of the brig. We learn that the following
parties have been swindled by Capt.
Hayes: — Mr. Morrison. 300 dollars: Mr.
Titchener, 250 dollars; ship carpenters,
800 dollars; victuallers and grocers, 1.300
dollars; vegetable dealers,. 300 dollars: a
gentleman, per borrowed money, 300 dol
lars: legal advice. 100 dollars; a bill which
his lawyer promised to pay, 114 dollars;
money borrowed from his lawyers, 30 dol
lars; plumbers, 500 dollars; and a multi-
tude of other liabilities of less note, mak-
ing in all about 4,000 dollars. The fellow
also managed to swindle Mr. Morrison out
of some 40 tons of beans. It is supposed
by those who appear to be best inform
ed that he will steer for Tahiti, where
he will lay in a cargo of oranges for the
Sydney market.
'The South Australian 'Register ''of De-
cember 7, 1859, carrys on the tale:
We have later news from Hawaiian
Islands. : -'Our Honolulu files are
to September 24, 1859. The Capt.
Hayes who bolted from San Fran-
cisco with the schooner Ellenita had paid
a flying visit to Honolulu, and succeeded
in perpetrating further acts of roguery.
Being suspected of some nefarious trans-
actions, the sheriff proceeded on board the
brig to arrest him, but Hayes politely
declined, and gave the sheriff the alter-
native of proceeding to sea with him or
returning to terra firma. He was com-
pelled to accept the latter alternative, and
had the mortification of seeing Hayes
square yards and run off before a fair
wind. It appears that Hayes is the iden-
tical Capt. Hayes known in Adelaide
some time ago in connection with the
barque C. W. Bradley, Jun.. &c, and no
doubt as familiarly known in Melbourne.
The particulars of the man's history, given
by the Honolulu Commercial Adver-
tiser,''' disclose a degree of demoralisa-
tion almost unparalleled.
Hayes did not profit to much by his
stealing, for we read in the Sydney ''Morn-
ing Herald' of the
FOUNDERING OF THE ELLENITA.
The Ellenita brig, 318 tons, Capt. W.
H. Hayes, foundered on October 16, in
latitude 12.48 south, longitude 172.25 west,
on her voyage from San Francisco to Syd-
ney. The captain, mate, one man of the
crew, and the following nine passengers,
viz.- Mrs. -Armstrong, Mr. Clarke, lady
and three children, Miss Cornelia Mur-
ray, and Mr. Bunting and son landed with
one of the ship's boats at the west end
of the Island of Savaii, on October 20,
and were immediately surrounded by the
natives, ivho threatened them and plun-
dered them of everything they had. The
Europeans residing some few miles from
where the unfortunate people landed, on
learning that some shipwrecked foreign-
ers were there, hastened immediately to
their assistance, and unhesitatingly and
in the most generous manner tendered
tbe accommodation of' their homes and
means.. Fourteen more of tfae passengers
and crew left the sinking vessel on a raft,
and when, last seen by the boat, after the
brig went down, were in latitude 12-54
south, longitude 172.33 west, drifting in a
weet-south-west direction at the rate of
one mile and a half, per hour. The party
on the raft had with them sufficient pro-
visions to last them 14 days, besides 100
gallons of water. H. M brig Elk sailed
from the Samoas on Tuesday, November
1, in. hopes of finding Ihe raft and res-
cuing the unfortunate sufferers. All who
landed .from the boat were in good health
and in the care of the United States and
British Consuls. The vessel and cargo
belonged to the captain, and neither of
them was insured. The following letter
from the captain has been forwarded to
us for publication:— 'To -the editor of
the 'Herald.' — Sir— The great kindness
manifested towards us by all the Euro-
pean inhabitants was beyond anything I
could ever have expected: or had a right
to anticipate. Mr. Abraham Hort, of
the firm of Hort Brothers, walked 35
ttriksat night over stones and quagmires
in the bush to offer us a passage in his
sneasel to Apia, althongh himself 'bound up
to Sydney, besides placing at our dispo-
sal any other assistance in bis power.
Messrs. .Purcell, Crichton, Alvord, and
Craigg, residing in the vicinity of the
place 'where we first landed, gave us their
clothes and homes, besides doing every
thing :m their power to make us comfort-
able and reheve; the distress in. which
.they found us. We had nothing to offer
in return bat grateful hearts.— W. . H.
Hayes, master. Salaibra, Island of Savaii,
November 4, 1859.'
By the Caroline, French mission brig,
from Fortuna, November' 26, we learn the
safe arrival at Wallis Island of the re-
mainder of the crew of an American brig-
which foondered at sea. It appears that
the brig went down suddenly, the crew
dividing themselves, some in a beat and.
the rest to the number of 13 men taking
refuge on a hastily constructed raft. The
boat and. her crew arrived safely, .at
Samoa, when H.M. brig Elk immediately
sailed for the purpose of finding, if pos-
sible, .the unfortunate people on the raft.
She was at Wallis Island on November. 2,
had touched at Fortuna, and from thence
to the Feejees, intending to call at Wal-
lis Island a eecond time on her return
from her cruise; but on November 5 the
raft arrived at Wallis Island, after being
at sea nine days, and the people in great
distress for the want of food and water.
They were immediately taken charge of
by the French missionaries, and every
attention paid to their wants. The ship's
steward died on the fourteenth day. The
Sydney, and Mrs. Allen saw him there
several times, apparently not in a very
prosperous condition. On New Year's
Day, 1860, the brigs Antonio and Elk ar-
rived in Sydney, bringing Captain Hayes
and the passengere and crew of the
Ellenita. On January 5 and 13, 1860, the
^S.M. Herald' has further acconnts of
the foundering of tbe Ellenita, and the
suffering and rescue of the passenger and
crew. In one account Hayes is charged
with leaving the passengers and crew on
a raft without compass or chart or any
kind of navigation tools, except a quad
rant.'
On January 6, 1860, the 'SM. Herald'
publishes 'The Story of a Scoundrel'
from the Honolulu ''Advertiser' of Sep-
tember 24, '1859, which says Hayes was
born in Cleveland, Ohio, of poor and not
very respectable parents, who kept a grog
shop; that Hayes stole a neighbour's
horses, but escaped prison by a flaw in
the indictment; married a woman of
doubtful character, and took her to Cali-
fornia became friendly with a wealthy
Californian on the voyage — there was no
overland route in 1853— and induced him
to find the money to buy a liquor saloon
for Hayes's wife, and to buy and fit out
the barqne Otranto and make Hayes mas-
ter, and that was the last the owner saw
of his ship. After recounting. Hayes's
villainies in "Adelaide, Western Austra-
lia,' and elsewhere, tbe article concludes
thus: — 'Hayes is a man of little educa-
tion, and but of little talent, except for
rascality. He is very plausible and gen-
tlemanly in behaviour when he has an
object in appearing so, and seems to have
the dangerous faculty of impressing
strangers, with the belief that he is an
honest man. He is minus one ear, which
is said to have been bitten off in a fight.
His most intimate friend and accomplice
is a man named Robert Parkinson, who
navigates his vessel for him and plans
the rogueries which Hayes carries out.
Whatever may be said in extenuation of
his crimes, he is now to all intents and
purposes a pirate, and m trust he may
meet the reward his conduct so justly
deserves.'
Parkinson was with Hayes in Port Ade-
laide, and was nominally master of tbe
Estrella-do-Norte when she went from
Port Adelaide to Swan River.
Hayes was not abashed by "the story
of a scoundrel,' and on January 12, 1860
published in the ''S.M. .Herald' 'the story
of a scoundrel continued,' in which he
tries to brazen out his doings, and prints
several vouchers of his excellent conduct
and intentions, but the lies are palpable
now that time has shown his actions in
their true light. About the end of
I860 Capt. and Mrs. Allen were in Mait-
land. New South Wales, on the day of
the local races, when they met Hayes
dressed as a nigger minstrel. They spoke
and Hayes told them he and the others
of the troupe were doing fairly well. At
Maitland Hayes, as usual, made many
friends. Among them was a Mr Clift,
a well-to-do man, who took a great fancy
to Hayes, and Hayes became engaged to
Miss Clift. Mr. Clift bought, the bargue
Launceston, 328 tons, and made Hayes
master of her. On March 20. 1861, the
Launceston. W. H. Hayes, master, sailed
from Newcastle laden with coal. A week
after she put into Sydney to refit, as she
had been damaged in a storm. On April
13, 1861, she sailed from Sydney for Bom-
bay. but did not reach that port, as the
following shows: —
THE LAUNCESTON— EXTRAORDIN-
ARY CHARGE.
The following- circular has been issued
from Batavia with regard to this barque:
—Batavia, August 30. 1861.— We- conceive
it to be advisable to place you iu posses-
sion of some proceedings which have late-
ly taken place here, and which are charged
with the gravest interest to mercantile
and underwriting classes. Aliout the be-
ginning of the present month, an Eng-
lish barque called the Launceston, and
commanded by Capt. W. H. Hayes, ar-
rived at Sourabaya from the colonies with
a cargo of coals. The captain consigned
ship and cargo to Messrs Fraser, Eaton,
and Co., and after having disposed of the
boats, which belonged to him, sought a
charter back to Australia The ship hav-
ing obtained at Sourabaya a satisfactory
survey certificate, was taken up by the
factory, at the rate of £3 per ton. to load
at Samarang and Dadap. a small inter-
mediate port on the coast between Sama-
rang and Batavia. Having taken in 2,500
piculs of sugar and 500 piculs of coffee at
Samarang, she proceeded to Dadap to fill
up with rice. And the neeessnry instruct-
tions were given by the factory for dis-
patching her direct from there, as the
captain did not wish to call at Batavia for
his despatches. In the meantime rumours
got afloat that a certain Capt. W. H.
Hayes had been publicly announced in
the Singapore papers as a notorious ma-
rine swindler, who had already absconded
with two ships and cargoes, and alwavs
succeeded in making his escape. The
'Straits Times' of August 30,
1859, contains a curious statement
of the transactions of the said
Captain Hayes, by which various
parties in Singapore were made dupes,
and the mercantile classes and others in
Java and the Dutch settlements are
warned against the villainy of this cap-
tain. As soon as these circumstances be-
camc known to the factory and the in-
surance offices, who had already partially
accepted the insurance on the cargo. a call
was made on Her Britannic Majesty's con-
sul to interfere, aud to ascertain whether
the Capt. Hayes commanding the Launces-
ton was the same man as the one pointed
out by our Singapore neighbours. The
ship's papers were found in perfect order,
although it was stated that Capt. Hayes
had been appointed master of the ship,
without any proof of his competency to
command a ship having been produced.
The Launceston stood, according to the
register, as owned by Capt. W. H. Hayes,
and consequently the consul declined at
first to take any official steps in the mat-
ter. The Dutch authorities were applied
to, but with the same result, and all that
the parties interested could obtain was a
letter from the English consul to Capt.
Hayes, by which he requested him to come
up to Batavia with his papers, in order
to clear himself of the imputations made
against his character. Capt. Hayes at first
promised to come, but eventually declined,
and stated that he did not care if no fur-
ther cargo was given to him; that he had
20 laydays still to run, and that after
the expiration of these he would proceed
on his voyage, the cargo he had on board
being sufficient to pay his full freight. On
a close examination and comparison of his
signature and handwriting of the letters
with the signature which all his ship's
papers bore, it was evident that they were
not written by the same person. The
escape of a sailor and his second mate, who
were brought on board again by the po-
lice, but who declared that they would
rather jump overboard than proceed with
the ship, coupled with his dislike to come
to Batavia, although it was his direct
way, and while be gave out that he
would take the eastern passage through
Torres Straits, considerably augmented
the fears of the parties interested, and
strengthened the idea that he was really
the man in question, and as there were
no means to obtain any clear evidence
against him or to detain the ship until
decided proof of his identity could be
obtained from Singapore, it was resolved
that a proposition should be made to
Capt. Hayes to discharge the cargo which
be had already on board against payment
of his full freight, at the expense of the
insurance offices. This proposition was
agreed to by Capt. Hayes, and we trust
that he is now discharging at Cheribon,
the nearest port. We do not believe that
any man with a clear conscience would
have submitted to an arrangement so in-
consistent with his honour and self-es-
teem, and we consider this deed enough
to justify our suspicions. We hope that
Capt. Hayes, of the Launceston, may
have sufficient regard for himself to fur-
nish the Australian authorities on his re-
turn to Sydney with decided proof of his in-
tegrity and honesty, in which event, apo-
logy will be due to him; but, in the mean-
time, we found it prudent and in the in-
terests of the mercantile world to give
publicity to the foregoing statement.
Frakranen (President of the Factory Neth.
Trading Society), G. Suermondt (Director
of the E.T. Batavia Sea and Fire Insur-
ance Co.), A. R. T- Cramerus (Director of
tbe Netherlands Lloyd), T. H. Tiedeman
(Director Netherlands India Sea and Fire
Insurance Co.). Messrs. Hunter, Hough
ton, & Co., in their circular of August
31, add to this the following information:
Captain W.H. Hayes, on being order-
ed to proceed from Indramayoe to Cberi-
bon to discharge and receive his freight
as 'before advised,' appears to have gone
off altogether, as the ship is no longer
either at Indramayoe or Cheribon. He
has received of his agents £500, and his
cargo is worth about 100,000 dollars, 60,000
dollars of which only is insured '
So far, I have not succeeded in tracing
the Launceston further, nor Hayes, till
September 11, 1862, when the Cin-
cinatti, 460 tons. Capt. Hyde cleared
for Otago, with W. H. Hayes as passen-
ger. Hayes had no British certificate of
competency. and usually carried a 'nurse.'
This explains why he was a passenger on
the Cincinatti. The brig Caroline, 192
tons, Hayes master, cleared out from Newcas-
tle for Fiji on July 7, 1862. Part of her
cargo was 13 casks and 10 kegs powder, 92
muskets and 30 cases of Geneva, but her
Capt. Hayes was not 'Bully' Hayes. From
this time Mrs. Allen saw nothing of Hayes
till June. 1864, when she was astonished
to learn that the little schooner Black
Diamond,' of 70 tons, which was lying
stern to stern with the William Watson
(of which Capt. Allen was master) in
Newcastle Harbour, was commanded by
her old acquaintance, W. H. Hayes. She
saw he had his 'wife' on board, and that
the wife was a very young woman, and
had a nice little baby. Hayes spoke to
Capt. Allen. and wanted very badly to
bring his wife and child to see Mrs. Allen,
but she declined.
On June 19, 1864, the William Watson
and the Black Diamond sailed from New-
castle. and Mrs. Allen never saw Hayes
after that. The Black Diamond arrived
at Brisbane on June 27, 1864, where I lost
trace of her, but she turned up in Nelson,
New Zealand, ac the fotlowing shows:—
PAYING WITH THE TOPSAIL.
A brigantine called, the Black Diamond
arrived in this port a fortnight ago with
coals from Newcastle. She was under
the command of a Capt. Hayes, and the
quantity of coals he brought in the miser-
able-loosing craft, which he succeeded in
navigating over from Newcastle, was very
small, not amounting to more than £100
worth. These were sold through his
agent, and the balance coming to him,
some £30 odd. handed over to him about
the middle of last week. It was fully
understood, however, by the captain's
own statement, that he would not sail
until this day. and in the meantime his
creditors expected to get their money.
Some of them dunned him on Saturday,
but Capt. Hayes politely excused himself
on the ground that the boat race had ab-
sorbed his attention until after bank
hours; but one importunate creditor, who
succeeded in getting £10 of his bill, was
assured that on Monday he would be paid
the balance. Monday came, however,
and it was then found that the Black
Diamond— which we are informed had
previously cleared out for Nelson, whi-
ther she was originally bound — had sailed
during the still hours of the night.
Among those who suffered are Thwaites,
Henderson, & Co.. shipbuilders, who re-
paired the Black Diamond, £20; Owen
and Fendelow, ironmongers. £30; Nicol
and Co., ship chandlers, £10; Oliver and
Son. clothiers, £8; a passenger by tbe
Black Diamond, for money lent, £9; and
other amounts, including cost of water put
on board. A meeting of creditors was
to be held on Tuesday. — This is from the
'Southern Cross ' of July 19, 1864.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT CROIXELLES
HARBOUR.
Mr. Arthur Elmsley, settler at Hono
rua, French Pass, has arrived at Nelson
from the Croixelles with the painful in-
telligence of the capsizing of a yacht in
a sudden squall and the loss of four lives.
Two of the unfortunate drowned. Mrs.
Hayes and the young man named Col-
lins were members of the Buckingham
family, who last year gave entertainments
in different parts of Otago. and the only
survivor of the catastrophe is the well
known Capt. Hayes, who last visited Port
Otago in the barque Cincinnati. The fol-
lowing arc the particulars as given in
the 'Nelson Colonist'':— ''Mr. W. H.
Hayes, master of the brigantine Black
Diamond, which was lying in the Croix-
elles, borrowed Mr. Askew's yacht on Fri-
day last to proceed to Mr. Askew's sta-
tion. He went accompanied by his wife,
aged only 20, an infant child 13 months
old. a servant girl aged 15, and his wife's
brother, whose name, we understand, was
Collins, and whose age was 23. They
were all seated in the stern of the little
vessel. When about a mile and a half
from the shore one of those sudden
squalls to which the locality is liable
struck the boat, causing the boom to
spring suddenly iip to the masthead, and
capsizing the vessel, which went down by
the stern. The maid was drowned by
the boat's side, which sank rapidly. The
captain's brother-in-law swam seaward to-
wards one of the numerous islands which
stud the Croixelles Harbour. Capt.
Hayes, who is a large, powerful man and
a splendid swimmer, struck out shore-
wards, supporting himself on two oars
and holding up his wife with one hand
and his child with the other. In this
way he swam for the shore, but very
slowly and laboriously, being impeded by
the oars, which, being under water im-
peded his progress. Very soon the poor
baby died, which, the captain perceiving,
he kissed the body and dropped it. giv-
ing his whole attention to his wife, and
encouraging her to cling to him. He en-
deavoured to support her on his shoulder,
and after struggling on for some time
longer he felt her lose hold, but he still
held up her head by her hair, but soon
after, on turning round, found that she,
too, was dead. This was after, they had
been, the captain supposes, about an hour
and a half in the water. He let go the
body and regained one of the oars, which
had slipped from his grasp, and after
some further painful exertion be got to
the rocks. After landing he believes he
must have become insensible, and has
some indistinct remembrance of climbing
a hill and then falling down; but he must
have got up again, for he was seen from
the deck of a vessel to throw up his
hands, and a boat, not knowing who it
was, was sent off to him and took him
on board, greatly exhausted and much
bruised all over his body, his muscles
swollen and painful. He was so weak
by the exertion and exposure that he was
unable to speak until next morning. The
body of the child was picked up on the
Boulder Bank on Friday night and taken
on board the vessel. but none of the
other three bodies had been found when
Mr. Elmsley left. One additional sad
fact in connection with this mournful oc-
currence is the circumstance that the de-
ceased young man, Collins, was the only
support of five younger brothers and sis-
ters m Canterbury. — 'Otago Daily
Times,' August 30, 1864.
SEIZURE OF THE BLACK DIAMOND.
The brigantine Black Diamond is a
vessel not unknown to fame in these co-
lonies, any more than her unfortunate ex
Capt. Hayes. She is now lying in the
Nelson Harbour for sale, but the way she
was brought here has a spice of romance
in it which will make the narrative in-
teresting. The brigantine was mortgaged
to a person in Sydney, who, being unable
to realise or to obtain interest, resolved
to foreclose as eoon as he or his agents
could get a chance of laying hands on the
ship. Instructions to that effect were ac-
cordingly sent from Sydney to Messrs. N.
Edwards & Co., of Nelson. It was known
that the Black Diamond was lying in some
part of the Croixelles Harbour, loading
firewood, and to get there, armed with
legal authority for her seizure under the
powers of the mortgagee, before it was
possible for her to leave the colony, was
the object to be accomplished. Mr. W.
Akersten, of Nelson,, undertook the task
which was deemed one of some difficulty,
and it might be of some risk. He selected
a whaleboat's crew of six stout fellows,
most of whom were sworn in as special
constables. The boat was towed by the
Lyttelton steamer down to Croixelles,
which was reached in the evening, but no
sign of the Black Diamond was visible.
The crew pulled about the harbour and
into various nooks for about six hours,
and at last, about 3 o'clock in the morn-
ing came on the brigantine, lying calmly
at anchor near the very top of the har-
bour, in a sheltered spot, pretty well ex-
cluded from outward observation. Cau-
tiously she was approached, and as cau-
tiously but quickly boarded by Mr. Akers-
ten and his men, all hands being below
in their berths. The captain first made
bis appearance on deck, enquiring, in brief
but emphatic language to what he was
indebted for the honour of such an early
morning call. The mission of his visitors
was promptly explained, and the demand
as speedily made for either the sum named
in the mortgage deed or the possession of
the ship. The money was not forthcom-
ing because it was not there, and the visi-
tors were dared to seize the vessel. The
reply of Mr. Akersten was made to his
crew to 'man the windlass.' An incident
is narrated of an axe being thereafter
seized, briefly flourished, and at a word
from the chief of the captors, sent spin-
ing into the placid watere, and its
flourisher pinioned and made harmless un-
til he promised good behaviour. The cap-
ture was complete. The anchor was hove
up, sails set, and in 30 hours from the time
Mr. Akersten and his .crew left Nelson on
the mission of seizure the Black Diamond
was lying securely at anchor in
Nelson Harbour. It is as nice a
little bit, of cutting, out' as
we have heard of for some time, and
well merits tbe publicity of which we now
give it the first instalment. - Nelson Co-
lionised. The Nelson 'Examiner' of Oc-
tober 1 says:. — 'We are informed that the
brigantine which has lately been offered for
sale in consequence of the foreclosing of
the mortgage effected upon her in Svdney
has been purchased for £300 by Mr. J..
Kerr, of this province.
I have no further trace so far as Hayes
till 1866, when the Auckland 'Weekly
News' says Capt. W. H. Hayes in the
brig Rona, is trading in the South Paci-
fic which called at Raratonga for fruit
and supplies.
On July 30, 1868, Hayes was at Tahiti
busily engaged in fitting out tne Rona for
another cruise in tiie South Sea Islands,
thus disproving the rumour that he had
been killed by his mate in a duel. I can
not trace the Rona further or hear again
of Hayes till March 10, 1871, when he left
Saigon in the brig Leonora with a cargo
of rice for Hongkong. The Leonora
grounded soon after leaving Cape Saint
James and was said to make 4 in. an hour.
Hayes took her to Bankok, had her repair-
ed, caulked, and coppered, and on April
27, 1871, left Bankok light, leaving his
cargo of rice iu payment of the work done
to the Leonora, and for other expenses in-
curred in Bankok. It is amusing to look
at the map and eee tbe positions of Hong
kong, Saigon, and Bankok: In Bankok
it was reported that Hayes had chartered
a small schooner from a Mohammedan on
a monthly charter to go to the Philip-
pines and thence to the South Sea. Islands,
where Hayes would meet her, and where
the Moslem would. very likely,
lose all vestige of his craft. The Leonora
was formerly the Waterlily, and
was an armed American brig,
and for two or three years was
reported as visiting various islands in
the South Seas under doubtful circumstan-
ces. According to the British Bluebooks
the Leonora had great length, was high
wooded, had her copper well out of the
water, flush deck, one house abaft of
the foremast, full brig rigged, patent roll-
ing topsails, long mastheads, painted
white, with gilt balls on trucks. Carried
12 guns, which were landed at Samoa
shortly before she was searched by the
Narraganset. The Inspector-General of
New South Wales police and his officers
report in November, 1871: — 'The notor-
ious Capt. Hayes was seen about four
months ago in a large black brig among
the line islands. The Waterlily is now
owned, the detective is informed, by the
notorious Capt. Hayes, and at present
sailed by him, and from the antecedents
of this man he is considered capable of
any atrocity.' On a visit to China serious
charges were made against Capt. Pease,
wbo then commanded her, and he was
sent to the United States for trial. On
December 3. 1871, Capt. J. H. Stirling,
rf H.M.S. Clio, wrote the Admiralty—
'The Commander-in-Chief in China inform-
ed me that Pease had just then been cap-
tured by a Spanish ship of war at Manilla.'
Boldrewood says the Spaniards heavily
ironed Pease. He was allowed on deck
and was given a cigar. He slowly walked
the deck, dragging his chains, apparently
enjoying his cigar, took a last look at
the blue sky, and quietly dropped over-
board and was at once sunk by tbe weight.
On July 25. 1872, Capt. Lewis J. Moore.
of H.M.S. Barossa, reports to Vice-Ad
miral Shadwell: — 'I doiibt if the Leonora
is a regularly registered United States
vessel, as I am informed she has still
the name Wateriily. registered number,
and tonnage cut in the main hatch, and
Watertily, of Aberdeen, on her bell,
and that Hayes, when master only of her,
ran her ashore on some out-of-tbe-way
part of the Gulf of Siam without damaging
her, then wrote to the owners, offering
some small sum for the wreck, which they
accepted. Hayes then fitted her out, dis-
posed of the cargo, and brought her down
for trading among the Marshall, Gilbert,
and other islands, where he was first
known late in 1871. I will not vouch for
the entire correctness of these state-
ments.
On January 30. 1871. the captain of the
British warship Clio officially reported on
the exploits of Hayes and Pease..
In February. 1872, the American cor-
vette Narraganset was at anchor at Tu-
tulia (Samoa), when her captain (Meade)
was informed that Hayes, in the I.eonora.
was in Apia (Samoa), so tbe Narraganset,
flying the English flag, steamed into Apia,
hoisted the American flag, seized the Leo-
nora, arrested Hayes, and after three days'
detention set him at liberty.
Hayes returned to the Leonora in tri-
tmph. and dressed her out with flags in
honour of his escape.
The Rev. T. Powell, writing from Samoa
on February 21. 1872. to the Rev. J. P.
Sunderland. agent for the London Mis-
sionary Society, respecting this, says —
'How is it that with such a mass of evi-
dence as was collected on Hayes's de-
tention here (which is in British Blue
books), proving his kidnapping of the peo-
ple of Manihiki, that he is allowed to go
at large?''
The British Consul writes fiom Apia,
Samoa, February 24. 1875: — 'On February
19 the American oorviete Narraganset
arrived here and arrested W. H. Hayes,
of Atlantic notoriety. It was announced
that Hayes was to be sent to California
for trial. under a guard. in the Leonora,
now under the American flag, formerly
the Pioneer, of Shanghai, under the Brit-
ish flag, and previous to that the Water
lily, of Aberdeen, but to the astonishment
of the Apia residents, Hayes was acquit-
ted, and is now walking his own quarter
deck. I hare not heard any particulars,
for the trial was held on board the
Narraganset.'
Commodore Stirling, of H.M.S. Clio,
writes, December 11. 1872:— 'Capt. Meade.
of the Narraganset, told me that at
Samoa he had Hayes aboard the Narra-
ganset for three days, and as Mr. Wil-
liams. British Consul at Samoa, declined
to produce sufficient proof against Hayes
he was liberated.
Capt. C. H. Simpson, H.M.S. Blanche,
writes: ^'The Leonora was thoroughly ex-
amined and searched by the American cor-
vette Narraganset. -This having been done
at Samoa, I conclude that the British Con-
sul {Mr. Williams) would have represent-
ed to the commander, of the Narraganset
the fact of Hayes's previous escape from
that island, when detained by him, and
the grounds of his detention, when the
matter would have been thoroughly
sifted.
Thus 'Bully' Hayes slipped through
their fingers.
In May, 1872, . Capt. Simpson, of the
Blanche, had orders to arrest Hayes and
to bring him to Sydney for trial, and had
a detective on board to identify him, but
neither the Clio nor the Blanche could
catch Hayes or the Leonora.
A Frenchman (G. Lechart} says on De-
cember 27, 1871, that on October 16. 1871.
he sold his vessel and goods to Hayes,
but Hayes sailed awav without paying
him, and gave him a hiding when be fol-
lowed Hayes and asked for payment.
The British Bluebooks contain a lot of
interesting matter respecting Hayes.
Capt. E. Gordon Douglas, of HM.S.
Cossack, writes September 21. 1872:— 'Al-
though we kept a sharp lookout for
Hayes, and have made every enquiry, I
have not been able to lay my hands on
him. He is very ill spoken of throughout
these islands.
The following is a canard, from the
Sydney 'Evening News' of Octoher 2,
1873, with additions by Mr. Richard Ja-
goe, of the Semaphore, and makes amus-
ing reading, for it is all rubbish. Hayes
was not even arrested, and probably was
not at Tokilau.
ALLEGED EXECUTION OF HAYES
THE PIRATE.
Referring to a scoundrel not unknown
to Port Adelaide; it is reported that the
notorious Capt. Hayes, freebooter, swind-
ler, pirate, and murderer, has at length
met with his just deserts— a long sope, a
ehort shrift, and a swing from the yard
arm of the Blanche. This ruffian has been
for many years known as the pest of the
Pacific, and his last exploit was only in
keeping with his life of similar atrocities.
Hayes, following the example of that sanc-
timonious villain. Dr. J. P. Murray (of the
brig Carl at Bougainville), put in with
his schooner at Tokilau, an island in the
Union group, ostensibly for trade. He
enticed a number of natives aboard, se-
cured them under hatches, and destroyed
their canoes by dropping weights on them
from his vessel. The Blanche cbased him,
caught him red-handed, and after trial at
Levuka Capt. Hayes was 'sent aloft' at
the fore yardarm by the agency of a rope,
at the end of which a number of natives
hanled with hearty goodwill. Hayes was
hanged off tbe island from whence he stole
the men found on board his schconer,
and the summary act ought to produce a
good effect.
American, British, and French warships
had cognisance of Hayes's exploits in
Oceana, but he managed to escape punish-
ment. The Sydney Morning Herald'
save the H.M.S. Rosario arrived bringing
the news that on Marach 15, 1874, the
Leonora, brig, Capt. Hayes, of unenviable
notoriety, had been wrecked on Strong's
Island. All hands were safe, and living
on the island when the Rosario arrived,
but next morning Capt. Hayes had dis-
appeared, and was supposed to have got
away in an open boat. Several of his
crew were brought to Sydney in the
Rosario.
Reporting to Commodore Goodenogh,,'
of the Pearl, the captain of tiie Bosario
wrote: — 'There can be no doubt but that
Mr. Hayes is a shrewd, unprincipled man,
who has committed acts of' violence to-
wards the natives, and been guilty of
unjustifiable acts towards other persons;
yet, so greatly has his name got to be
feared ,by both natives and white men
on the island, that, thongh it was evi-
dent that at nearly all the islands I visit-
ed he was well known it was impossible
to find out much about him. On en-
tering Chabral Harbour, Strong's Island,
Mr. Hayes came out to meet the ship in
a boat. He told me that his vessel
had been wrecked in South Harbour on
the 15th March this year, since which
date he had been living ashore collecting oil. I commenced making enquiries about
Hayes, but here, as at other plaoes, I met
with disinclination from .all traders to
tell me anything they might know. Hayes
apprised by some of the crew of the en-
quiries that had been made, left the is-
land in a boat. At their own request,
and also considering it a good thing for
the island to be rid of them, I took five
of the crew of the Leonora on board for
passage to Sydney, and also one other
person (Louis Becke), who had been a
passenger on board, and also from that
I could hear a great friend of Hayes. I
deemed it advisable that he should be
removed, there being no chance of his
getting back to Mille from Strong'e Island,
and also because the chief particularly
desired his removal, ae being likely to stir
up strife on the island. These six per-
sons are now (10th .October, 1874) on
board. I visited Mr. Hayes's residence
at South Harbour. He had made a re-
gular settlement of it, and had collected
a large quantity of oil. No less than
five young women were living in his house,
who had all, with one exception, been
living on board the Leonora. That ves-
sel was sunk in 14 fathoms, her topmast
head a few feet above the water.
BULLY'S DEATH.
Becke. says his death occurred as fol-
lows:— 'While in 'Frisco he met a
merchant, who owned a yacht called the
Lotus, who was anxious for a run down
among the islands, and engaged Hayes as
pilot. The merchant and his wife were
on board; and the vessel was ready for sea,
when Hayes induced the merchant to go
ashore and procure something which
Hayes said was required. Immediately the
merchant departed, Hayes and the wife,
who was a bad one, set sail for the is-
lands. After three or four months' cruis-
ing, he quarrelled with the steward when
off an island called Jalmit. Hayes told
the steward that he would shoot him and
forthwith went below to get his pistol, but
the steward stood over the companion way
with the boom crutch in his hand and
as Hayes's bald head emerged he struck
him, fractured his skull, carried 'Bully'
on deck, and threw him overboard while
he was still living."
Thus ended the career of "Bully"
Hayes. I have verified the foregoing by
reference to records of various Bluebooks,
Customs Houses, the Insolvency Court,
tiie Vice-Admiralty Court, the Registrar
of Marriages and newspapers in various
places, notes of which will be sent to the
Mitchell Lfbrary, Sydney.
Two hundred heirs of :27 saaJorg who lost t .
their lives in the einkirje of the steam^1 '
Tioga in tiie Chicago Biser in IS8S hai* '
just won a suit for damages against tl :
steamsliip company, after 25 years' :-tijs -
tion. 'Since the case besan. «^-t of tl :
original plaintiffs and the oririEal cotmsi I -
for both tiie heirs and the company hat
cied.
$