View allAll Photos Tagged provocation
In the language of flowers, the thistle (like the burr) is an ancient Celtic symbol of nobility of character as well as of birth, for the wounding or provocation of a thistle yields punishment.[citation needed]
The thistle has been the national emblem of Scotland since the reign of Alexander III (1249–1286) and was used on silver coins issued by James III in 1470. It is the symbol of the Order of the Thistle, a high chivalric order of Scotland. It is found in many Scottish symbols and as the name of several Scottish football clubs. The thistle, crowned with the Scottish crown, is the symbol of seven of the eight Scottish Police Forces (the exception being the Northern Constabulary). The thistle is also the emblem of Encyclopædia Britannica, which originated in Edinburgh, Scotland. Carnegie Mellon University features the thistle in its crest in honor of the Scottish heritage of its founder, Andrew Carnegie.
Explored #180
23 May 2012
Benelli motorcycle Scramble
All-New Leoncino prepared Benelli motorcycle Scramble provocation comes in all dimensions.
After the previous camp Benelli unveiled at the All-New Leoncino motorcycle line Scramble is expected that the event will be a show EICMA Show in Milan, Italy, in...
Grizzly bear, traditional name given to brown bears (Ursus arctos) of North America. Grizzly bears of the northern Rocky Mountains (U. arctos horribilis) are classified as a subspecies, as are the huge Kodiak bears of Alaska (U. arctos middendorffi).
Grizzlies are massive animals with humped shoulders and an elevated forehead that contributes to a somewhat concave profile. The fur is brownish to buff, and the hairs are usually silver- or pale-tipped to give the grizzled effect for which they are named. Large adult grizzlies may be about 2.5 metres (8 feet) long and weigh about 410 kg (900 pounds). The Kodiak bear is the largest living land carnivore and may attain a length of more than 3 metres and a weight of 780 kg. It lives only on Kodiak Island and neighbouring islands. Because of their bulk and long straight claws, these bears rarely climb, even as cubs. Other grizzlies, however, are surprisingly agile and can run as fast as 48 km per hour (30 mph). Their eyesight is poor, and they have been known to attack humans without evident provocation. Females with cubs are the most aggressive.
Street art is visual art created in public locations, usually unsanctioned artwork executed outside of the context of traditional art venues. The term gained popularity during the graffiti art boom of the early 1980s and continues to be applied to subsequent incarnations. Stencil graffiti, wheatpasted poster art or sticker art, and street installation or sculpture are common forms of modern street art. Video projection, yarn bombing and Lock On sculpture became popularized at the turn of the 21st century.
The terms "urban art", "guerrilla art", "post-graffiti" and "neo-graffiti" are also sometimes used when referring to artwork created in these contexts.[1] Traditional spray-painted graffiti artwork itself is often included in this category, excluding territorial graffiti or pure vandalism.
Street art is often motivated by a preference on the part of the artist to communicate directly with the public at large, free from perceived confines of the formal art world.[2] Street artists sometimes present socially relevant content infused with esthetic value, to attract attention to a cause or as a form of "art provocation".[3]
Street artists often travel between countries to spread their designs. Some artists have gained cult-followings, media and art world attention, and have gone on to work commercially in the styles which made their work known on the streets.
For Bald Eagle lovers, Haines is nothing short of paradise. It’s a chilly, remote paradise, but paradise, nonetheless. At almost any given time you can drive out of town, stop along the road, and pick out dozens of these symbolic birds of prey in the surrounding trees. In the east, they still seem fairly timid, flying off with the least provocation. In Haines, the birds seem more resolute. They are much more approachable. Who knows, perhaps they’re just too darned cold to fly away, but I think not. There is something about Haines and its eagles that are special. Despite the journey and the cold it is a place I long to return to. #BaldEagles
Samburu National Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
BEST VIEWED IN LARGER SIZE
Musth or must /ˈmʌst/ is a periodic condition in bull (male) elephants, characterized by highly aggressive behavior and accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones. Testosterone levels in an elephant in musth can be as much as 60 times greater than in the same elephant at other times. However, whether this hormonal surge is the sole cause of musth, or merely a contributing factor, is unknown; scientific investigation of musth is problematic because even the most placid elephants become highly violent toward humans and other elephants during musth, requiring segregation and isolation until they recover. Female elephants do not undergo musth.
Often, elephants in musth discharge a thick tar-like secretion called temporin from the temporal ducts on the sides of the head. Temporin contains proteins, lipids (notably cholesterol), phenol and 4-methyl phenol,[2][3] cresols and sesquiterpenes (notably farnesol and its derivatives).[4] Secretions and urine collected from zoo elephants have been shown to contain elevated levels of various highly odorous ketones and aldehydes. The elephant's aggression may be partially caused by a reaction to the temporin, which naturally trickles down into the elephant's mouth. Another contributing factor may be the accompanying swelling of the temporal glands; this presses on the elephant's eyes and causes acute pain comparable to severe root abscess toothache. Elephants sometimes try to counteract this pain by digging their tusks into the ground.
Musth is linked to sexual arousal or establishing dominance, but this relationship is far from clear. Cases of elephants goring and killing rhinoceroses without provocation in national parks in Africa have been documented and attributed to musth in young male elephants, especially those growing in the absence of older males. Studies show that reintroducing older males into the elephant population of the area seems to prevent younger males from entering musth, and therefore, stop this aggressive behavior.
Compared to previous years this has been a strange and limited year for me geographically.
To begin with the immediately concrete, I’ve hardly gone outside in the past week and a half, thanks to an extended episode of my right foot being stiff and swollen from gout. This time it struck without warning or provocation, unlike the previous time earlier this year, which you can see foreshadowed on the map as a day of biking around exploring West Oakland and then to Berkeley. The next day I could barely walk, and I haven’t dared to ride a bike in months.
My daily routine has been dominated all year by getting between home and MacArthur or Rockridge BART stations and between Civic Center BART and the Mapbox office on 9th Street. There are also many short walks from 16th Street BART for the Friday morning ritual of geobreakfast, and some longer ones taking advantage of some extra time in the morning to walk between 16th Street and Castro or Church stations instead of going straight to work. Another couple of early mornings I went to Glen Park and Noe Valley just to count pedestrians.
The long straight lines in the Oakland Hills are GPS tracks from airplanes. The rules changed and now you can use a GPS receiver during takeoff and landing, but it’s still hard to get a good signal. The trips were to Boston, to speak at the OpenVis conference (and then from there to Maryland to visit Steph’s family), and to Minneapolis, to speak at Eyeo Festival. Not visible on the map are two trips to visit my parents in southern California.
Locally, I talked at the Macro City conference at the Brava Theater, at Swissnex on Montgomery, at the National Association of City Transportation Officials at SPUR, and to a cartography class at San Francisco State, gave lunch talks at SFMTA and Gehl Architects, and was in SPUR’s Urban Cartography exhibit.
One Saturday I took the F Market around the Embarcadero to go to the library book sale at Fort Mason and came away with seven bound volumes of the Armed Forces Song Folio, monthly compilations of popular sheet music issued by the military in the 1940s and 50s. By systematically working through them, I’ve finally become a competent “fake book” pianist, able to play songs I’ve never heard before from the written melody and chords, although playing full standard piano arrangements is still beyond me.
I think the only new infrastructure reflected here is trying out BART’s Oakland Airport Connector on its opening day.
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In general, black is walking, red is bicycling, blue is cars or buses, and green is above-ground rapid transit or freeways. (Color is from speed, not from an actual record of transportation mode.) Not shown: tunnels and subways. How big is your world?
Other people doing similar things: Nicole Aptekar.
Admittedly, the GBH is one of my favorite birds to photograph (as a fairly new photographer, I started with big birds and, well, I'm working my way down---just can't resist a good Great Blue Heron shot, though). Great subjects, as they can remain perfectly still for long stretches of time (but they will fly off at the slightest provocation).
Rockport, TX; 050512; IMG_6009
1) Detail of an Original Study private collection E. and J. H.
2) "Original" written on foam by Claudia Bosse, part of "Schiele Experiment - Melancholy and Provocation". Museum Leopold.
DMC-G2 - P1280831 (13.2.2012) + DMC-G2 - P1270868 (3.2.2012)
Top: Provocation - Ksanna top
Shorts: AsteroidBox -Iris
Pantyhose: Velvet design
Boots: Bax
Hair: Ayashi - Kauna
Quite honestly, never with Bogart. Have you ever seen a more tolerant dog?
[SOOC, f/1.4, ISO 400, shutter speed 1/320, +2 EV]
MoStreet art is visual art created in public locations, usually unsanctioned artwork executed outside of the context of traditional art venues. The term gained popularity during the graffiti art boom of the early 1980s and continues to be applied to subsequent incarnations. Stencil graffiti, wheatpasted poster art or sticker art, and street installation or sculpture are common forms of modern street art. Video projection, yarn bombing and Lock On sculpture became popularized at the turn of the 21st century.
The terms "urban art", "guerrilla art", "post-graffiti" and "neo-graffiti" are also sometimes used when referring to artwork created in these contexts.[1] Traditional spray-painted graffiti artwork itself is often included in this category, excluding territorial graffiti or pure vandalism.
Street art is often motivated by a preference on the part of the artist to communicate directly with the public at large, free from perceived confines of the formal art world.[2] Street artists sometimes present socially relevant content infused with esthetic value, to attract attention to a cause or as a form of "art provocation".[3]
Street artists often travel between countries to spread their designs. Some artists have gained cult-followings, media and art world attention, and have gone on to work commercially in the styles which made their work known on the streets.ntréal, Québec...
Panniru Thirumuari Vizaa - Kapaleeswarar Temple , Mylapore .
பன்னிருதிருமுறை விழா
The Shaiva Tirumurais are twelve in number. The first seven Tirumurais are the hymns of the three great Shaivite saints, Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar. These hymns were the best musical compositions of their age.
The first three Tirumurais (meaning parts) of Tevaram are composed by Sambanthar, the next three by Appar and the seventh one is composed by Sundarar. There is a famous saying about the Saiva trio that "Appar sang for me, Sambanthar sang for himself and Sundarar sang of gold". Appar and Sambanthar lived around the 7th century, while Sundarar lived in the 8th century. During the Pallava period these three travelled extensively around Tamil Nadu offering discourses and songs characterised by an emotional devotion to Shiva and objections to Vaishnavism, Jainism and Buddhism.
Sambanthar is a 7th-century poet born in Sirkali in Brahmin community and was believed to be suckled by the goddess Parvathi, whereupon he sang the first hymn. On the request of queen of Pandya Nadu, Sambandar went on pilgrimage to south, defeated Jains in debate, the Jains' provocation of Sambandar by burning his house and challenging him to debate, and Sambandar's eventual victory over them He was a contemporary of Appar, another Saiva saint. Information about Sambandar comes mainly from the Periya Puranam, the eleventh-century Tamil book on the Nayanars that forms the last volume of the Tirumurai, along with the earlier Tiruttondartokai, poetry by Cuntarar and Nambiyandar Nambi's Tiru Tondar Tiruvandadi. A Sanskrit hagiography called Brahmapureesa Charitam is now lost. The first volumes of the Tirumurai contain three hundred and eighty-four poems of Campantar (in 4181 stanzas), all that survive out of a reputed more than 10,000 hymns. Sambanthar is believed to have died at the age of 16 in 655 CE on the day of his marriage. His verses were set to tune by Nilakantaperumalanar who is set to have accompanied the poet on his yal or lute.
Appar's (aka Tirunavukkarasar) was born in the middle of 7th century in Tiruvamur, Tamil Nadu, his childhood name for Marulneekiar. His sister, Thilagavathiar was betrothed to a military commander who died in action. When his sister was about to end her life, he pleaded with her not to leave him alone in the world. She decided to lead an aesthetic life and bring up her only brother. During boyhood, Appar was very much interested in Jainism and started studying its scriptures. He went away from home and stayed in their monastery and was renamed Darmasena. Details of Appar's life are found in his own hymns and in Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam (the last book of the Tirumurai). Appar had travelled to nearby Patalipura to join a Jain monastery where he was given the name Dharmasena. "Seeing the transient, ephemeral world he decided to probe into truth through renunciation." After a while, afflicted by a painful illness, Dharmasena returned home. He prayed for relief at the Siva temple where his sister served and was cured. He was also involved in converting the Pallava king, Mahendravarman to Saivism. This was also the period of resurrection of the smaller Shiva temples. Appar sanctified all these temples by his verses and was also involved in cleaning of the dilapidated temples called uzhavarapadai. He was called Tirunavukkarasu, meaning the "King of divine speech". He extolled Siva in 49,000 stanzas out of which 3130 are now available and compiled in Tirumurais 4-7. When he met Campantar, he called him Appar (meaning father). He is believed to have died at the age of 81 in Tirupugalur.
Sundarar (aka Sundaramurthi) was born in Tirunavalur in a Brahmin family during the end of 7th century. His own name was Nambi Arurar and was prevented from marrying by the divine grace of Siva. He later married a temple girl namely Paravi and a vellala community girl by name Cankili.[17] He is the author of 1026 poems compiled as 7th Tirumurai.
Manikkavasagar's Tiruvacakam and Tirukovayar are compiled as the eighth Tirumurai and is full of visionary experience, divine love and urgent striving for truth. Manickavasgar was the king's prime minister and renounced his post in search of divinity.
The ninth Tirumurai has been composed by Tirumalikaittever, Sundarar, Karuvurttevar, Nampikatava Nampi, Gandaraditya, Venattatikal, Tiruvaliyamutanar, Purutottama Nampi and Cetirayar. Among these the notable is Gandaraditya (950-957 CE), a Chola king who later turned a saivite saint.
Tirumandiram by Tirumular unfolds siddantha (attainment) as a fourfold path - virtous and moral living, temple worship, internal worship and union with Siva. Tirumular worked out an original philosophical system and southern scholl of Saiva siddantha draws its authority from Tirumandiram, a work of 3000 verses. Tirumandiram represents another school of thought detailing agamic traditions, which run parallel to the bhakthi movement. It does not glorify temples or deities as in the case of other Tirumurais.
The eleventh Tirumurai has been composed by Karaikkal Ammeiyar, Ceraman Perumal, Pattinattu p-pillaiyar, Nakkiratevar, Kapilateva, Tiruvalavaiyudaiyar, Nampiyantarnampi, Iyyadigal katavarkon, Kalladateva, Paranateva, Ellamperuman Adigal and Athirava Adigal. Nambi's Tirutottanar Tiruvanthathi followed an exclusive style of mincing Tamil and Sankrit verses in anthati meter similar to Tevaram of the trio. Karaikkal Ammaiyar (550-600 CE)is the earliest of the woman Saivite poets who introduced the kattalai-k-kali-t-turai meter, which is a complicated structural departure from the old classical Tamil meters. The other meter used by Ammaiyar was old venba and also antathi arrangement in which offset of one line or stanza is identical with the onset of next line or stanza.
Periya Puranam (Tamil:பெரிய புராணம்), the great purana or epic, sometimes also called Tiruttontarpuranam(read as "Tiru-Thondar-Puranam") (the purana of the holy devotees) is a Tamil poetic account depicting the legendary lives of the sixty-three Nayanars, the canonical poets of Tamil Shaivism. It was compiled during the 12th century by Sekkizhar. It provides evidence of trade with West Asia Sekkizhar compiled and wrote the Periya Puranam listing the life stories of the sixty-three Shaiva Nayanars, poets of the God Shiva) who composed the liturgical poems of the Tirumurai, and was later himself canonised and the work became part of the sacred canon. Sekkizhar was a poet and the chief minister in the court of the Chola King, Kulothunga Chola II.
Raja Raja Chola I (985-1013 CE) embarked on a mission to recover the hymns after hearing short excerpts of Tevaram in his court. He sought the help of Nambi Andar Nambi, who was a priest in a temple. It is believed that by divine intervention Nambi found the presence of scripts, in the form of cadijam leaves half eaten by white ants in a chamber inside the second precinct in Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram. The brahmanas (Dikshitars) in the temple opposed the mission, but Rajaraja intervened by consecrating the images of the saint-poets through the streets of Chidambaram.Rajaraja thus became to be known as Tirumurai Kanda Cholan meaning one who saved the Tirumurai. Thus far Shiva temples only had images of god forms, but after the advent of Rajaraja, the images of the Nayanar saints were also placed inside the temple. Nambi arranged the hymns of three saint poets Campantar, Appar and Sundarar as the first seven books, Manickavasagar's Tirukovayar and Tiruvacakam as the 8th book, the 28 hymns of nine other saints as the 9th book, the Tirumandiram of Tirumular as the 10th book, 40 hymns by 12 other poets as the 10th book, Tirutotanar Tiruvanthathi - the sacred anthathi of the labours of the 63 nayanar saints and added his own hymns as the 11th book. The first seven books were later called as Tevaram, and the whole Saiva canon, to which was added, as the 12th book, Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam (1135 CE) is wholly known as Tirumurai, the holy book. Thus Saiva literature which covers about 600 years of religious, philosophical and literary development.
Look closely at the unused clip on the Lone Ranger-era cannon on the right. Now, compare it to the one on the left and notice the difference. This happened without provocation, where the broken clip in question (which was holding a cannon plunger since ~2015 with no problem) suddenly decided to dispense of it's load. Not sure where the tip landed, as I can't find it.
Oh, and the train cars in the background are from the 8-wide Wild West 4-10-0 + military train. I've built everything but the steam loco itself, but I can't finish this whole MOC today. I've had to redesign the prisoner car's exploding wall area (twice!) and have realized I'm short a couple parts for the tender that I know I don't have extras of. Frankly, I'm afraid at this point the loco won't work as planned, judging by how this day is going so far!
When this train get's completed, it will join four other trains on the photography table. I'll get the pictures taken at that point, due to this being the last Western train I plan on making. (yeah, I'm not so confident that will argument hold up in the future!)
To be able to look a man straight in the eye, calmly and deliberately, without the slightest ruffle of temper under extreme provocation, gives a sense of power which nothing else can give.
The story of the Elibank Castle reads like a ripping yarn. She was one of the earliest vessels built in the Great Lakes Area of NSW.
This image, obtained from recent satellite imagery, shows the location of Banyetta Point where the massacre of crew members on the first voyage of the Elibank Castle to the Solomon Islands in 1884/5.
To fully present the astounding events surrounding this vessel a report is presented for each of three periods in her short life:
- grounding in New Zealand in 1875
- first trip to the Pacific Islands in 1884
- final trip to the Islands in 1885
Section 1 deals specifically with her movement to New Zealand and subsequent grounding. Section 1
Section 2 deals with her first visit to the Pacific Islands in late 1884 and the murder of 5 crew members, including the captain.
Section 3 deals with her second and final visit to the Pacific Islands in 1885 when all but two of the crew were murdered - the survivors sailed the ship to New Guinea and were forced to abandon her and take to the long boat. Only one man survived and he turned up in Cooktown; seven months after the massacre in the Solomon Islands. Section 3
Details
Name: Elibank Castle
Type: Topsail Schooner – two masts
Official Number: ON 71811
Registered Sydney 3/1875
Length: 80 ft
Breadth: 18.5 ft
Depth: 6.85 ft
Registered net tonnage: 69.62 tons
Builders: William Peat and Donald Cameron
Location: Coolongolook, NSW.
Launched: September 1874 (no specific record)
Owners:
1875 – 1877 James Mathew Banks (NZ)
Registered in Wellington, New Zealand (2/1875)
Stranded Ninety Mile Beach; Recovered
Registered in Wellington New Zealand (10/1875)
1877 – 1879 George Parkman Austing (NZ)
Registered Dunedin, New Zealand (17/1877)
1879 – 1880 James Anderson (NZ)
1880 – 1884 Keith Ramsay, John Graham & James Anderson (NZ)
1884 - Capt. Augustus Otto Wilhelm Routch
Registered in Sydney 114/1884
Early Life
The Elibank Castle was built by William Peat and Donald Cameron on the banks of the Coolongolook River at Coolongolook. No details of her launch have been found but a report from 7th September 1874 indicated that launching was imminent.
"Peat and Cameron's vessel now building at the Coolongolook is nearly ready for launching. She is a pretty model and right well put together with well seasoned timber, and bids fair to prove a first class little craft to brave the dangers of the coast. September 7, 1874." The Maitland Mercury - 19 September 1874.
SECTION 2 - FIRST TRIP TO PACIFIC ISLANDS - 1884/5
Events on Bentley Island - 1884
Following the purchase of the Elibank Castle in October 1884 she was registered (Sydney 114/1884) and set sail from Brisbane for the Pacific Islands on 6th November under the control of Captain Howie. Her first port of call was the Louisiade Group of Islands off the Eastern tip of the mainland of what was then British East New Guinea (now part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea). She reached Teste Island (also known as Wari Island) and then travelled on to Bentley Island (also known as Anagusa or Angusa Island) where the ship’s owner (Otto Routch) planned to establish a copra station. Two members of the crew William Reid and John McCord were left on Bentley island while the Eilbank Castle continued to Goodwin Island and then on the Bayetta on Rendova Island.
While on Bentley, William Reid was murdered on 23rd December 1884. John McCord wrote from Teste Island as follows “I regret to state that my mate William Reid was killed on 23rd December by natives on one of the Engineer Group. I have every reason to believe from the statements of the natives that a Chinaman named Ah Sing, camped on that island beche-de-mer fishing, either instigated the murder or is chargeable with complicity in the crime. Reid was, at any rate, shot with his (the Chinaman's) rifle. Being ill with fever I did not consider it safe to stop at Bentley Island by myself, therefore went to Teste Island, where I am at present stopping with the missionary”. The note was written to Mr. J.C. Baird and delivered by the master of the ketch Wild Duck when she docked at Cooktown on a voyage from New Guinea. The Queenslander - 31 January 1885
Events on Renova Island in the Solomons - 1885
Despite the death of Reid, the Elibank Castle continued her journey to Banyetta on Rendova Island in the British Solomon Islands. On Tuesday February 3rd, just a few days after the news of Reid’s death was received, the Elibank Castle arrived at Double Island flying distress flags that were reported by the steamer Port of Melbourne. The customs authorities at Port Douglas dispatched the tug Dingo and escorted her into port. Henry Charles Banks, the chief mate, brought the news of terrible events at Point Banyetta. He reported that the Captain - James Howie; Able Seaman - Carl Johann; and three kanakas (Ki-haah, Pine-ee, and My-le-Sah) were brutally murdered on the 15th January by the natives off Point Banyetta, of the Solomon group, while attempting to land. “On the boat getting towards the beach they were attacked by a number of the savages; there were probably over 60 in number. The murder was witnessed by those on board the vessel at anchor, and was committed with tomahawks, spears, and other weapons. Some of the natives, upon the boat nearing the shore, rushed suddenly into the water up to their waists and made for the boat. The captain had no suspicions that the natives were hostile, as he gave instructions before leaving the schooner that he would return during half an hour. The natives pulled the bodies out of the water and carried them ashore, together with the boat with the oars and articles of trading. The natives were accompanied by a large number of dogs, who were licking the blood of the victims. The boat was carried inland and ultimately disappeared. The mate says he fired two shots from the schooner with a rifle, to which no response was made. At about 10 a.m., however, there were rifle shots fired at the vessel, which passed over our heads and around the men on board. At about 11 a.m. George Palmer, the cook, went aft with a rifle and ammunition to keep up a continual fire until we got the canvas set.
We knocked out the shackle of the 45th fathom of the anchor cable, so as to be all ready for slipping. Whilst the hands were loosing the topsail a bullet severed the starboard clew, while another passed through the bunt of the sail. The shots were fired by the natives under cover of the bush. A consultation was held to consider the best means of saving the lives of the men and property on the schooner, and it was decided to slip the cable, but the vessel twice canted towards the shore. A squall fortunately came up, which favoured our getting away from the shore, when we slipped the cable and got away in the mist. It was thought to be the most prudent to proceed to Sydney direct. Being without anchor cables we put into Cairns Roads [Double Island], but the winds being exceedingly boisterous and heading, and our canvas being very dilapidated we were compelled to come on to Port Douglas".
LATEST BY WIRE - PORT DOUGLAS, February 3. - Cairns Post 5 February 1885
Inquiry into events on Rendova Island
An inquiry was subsequently held on the events at Banyetta Point (current name) and reported as follows:
"MURDERS AT THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.
On the 4th instant we published a telegram from Port Douglas announcing the arrival at that place of the schooner Elibank Castle, in charge of the mate, Henry C. Banks, who reported the murder of the captain and four hands at Point Benyetta, Solomon Islands. Pursuant to instructions from the Colonial Secretary, the police-magistrate at Port Douglas (Major Fanning) has since held an inquiry into the matter, and has forwarded to the Under Colonial Secretary the depositions, which have been kindly placed at our disposal.
Henry Charles Banks, the chief mate of the Elibank Castle, which was on a trading voyage to the South Seas when the outrage was committed, deposed: We left Brisbane on Thursday, the 6th November, 1884, the Solomon Group being the last islands we touched at; the name of the last island, at which the murders occurred, is Benyetta; on the morning of 15th January the captain, James Howie, Carl Johann, able seaman, and three kanakas went on shore to trade for copra and tortoise shell; immediately on boat getting towards the beach she was attacked by a multitude of savages numbering, as far as we could guess from the vessel, over sixty, witnessed from vessel with glasses by me and the crew, the attacking party of natives using tomahawks, spears &c., some of them being up to their middle in the water; the captain, when going on shore, said that he would be back in half-an-hour, and we saw two natives; I did not see, myself, the two natives pulling a dead body out of the water; l and the rest of the crew saw natives carrying the boats, oars, lengths of calico, &c., along the beach; the boat disappeared, and I never saw it again; I fired two shots towards shore with a Snider rifle to see if any of the crew were alive, that is those that went ashore; about 10 o'clock a.m. the natives kept firing at us from the bush, the bullets coming in all directions among us, over our heads and between us; at about 11 o'clock a.m. I sent the cook, George Palmer, aft with rifle and ammunition, to keep up a continual fire, which he did, whilst we got canvas on the vessel and pulled up chain from below, and knocked out forty-five fathom shackle-pin, all ready for shipping; whilst a kanaka was loosening topsails one bullet severed starboard clew, another went through bunt alongside of him; at noon we looked everywhere from the vessel with glasses, and could see no-one, the natives being all concealed in the bush; after due deliberation and consultation to save our lives, the vessel and property, we unanimously decided to slip our cable, the last shift for our lives; the vessel canted in shore twice; at last a heavy squall coming away, favoured us; we slipped our anchor and cable, and got away in the mist; after the mist cleared away, I took glasses, but could see no one; we then held a consultation - by we, I mean myself and the crew - and decided that it would be most prudent to proceed to Sydney and do our best to get the vessel there; set all canvas, and proceeded; the following are the names of the murdered boat's crew which left the ship for the island - Captain James Howie, Carl Johann, able seaman; and three kanakas, named Ki-haah, Pine-ee, and My-le-Sah; all the names appear on the ship's articles; I saw the boat attacked immediately it arrived on shore; the ship was about 600 yards from the beach, and from what I saw I have every reason to believe that the persons enumerated previously were foully murdered; I have nothing more to say with regard to this matter, excepting that the reason I could not arrive at Sydney was because I was so very short-handed; there being only one man upon whom I could depend, I had to make for the first port - namely, Cairns. I arrived at Double Island, and anchored there. When at that place the harbour-master rescued me, and brought the ship to this port ; Double Island is about half- way between this port and Cairns; the captain and Carl Johann were both armed with revolvers when they started for shore, but from the sudden attack were unable to use them, as I did not hear any shots; to my knowledge the captain and other members were perfectly sober; the trade was solely confined to copra, beche-de-mer, tortoiseshell, and anything of that kind, there was no recruiting for labour; I can form no opinion as to the reason why the natives made this wanton attack, as I never visited any of these islands before ; I believe the captain had been at this island before; at the other islands in the Solomon Group which we visited we were received well by the natives ; when the captain left the vessel he did not ex- press any fear of danger; we remained at anchor exactly four hours after the boat was attacked ; the ship was well provided with arms, ammunition, and every other department; we had no arms for traffic; there were six Snider rifles and six revolvers only on board; I saw the captain and boat's crew land ; there were about sixty or seventy natives close by with spears, tomahawks, and shields; the captain had no time to trade, as directly the boat touched the beach they were attacked by the natives; as far as I know, the captain gave no provocation to the natives.
David Brown, boatswain, gave corroborative evidence, and added that the captain had bought some ground while at Bentley Island, that the captain and crew who were murdered had previously been ashore on the morning on which the outrage was committed, and that natives had been off to the vessel to trade, but that nothing had occurred likely to lead to any disturbance.
George Palmer, cook, in the course of his evidence, deposed; I saw the natives with their spears and axes, up to their waists in the water, chopping at what I look to be the kanaka making for the ship; I then went for'ard and told David Brown that the boat was attacked, when he came up all we could see was the natives running away with the calico and other trade; I looked through the glasses again and saw the natives dragging the dead body of a white man out of the water on to the beach; I could see the man was dead from the appearance of the body, which was only about 250 yards away; David Brown called the mate, who, on coming up, saw at once what was wrong, and the only thing that could be seen on the beach was the dogs tearing away at something which we could not distinguish; I then called Thomas Hogan, who was in his bunk asleep; he came up; the mate, Mr. Banks, fired two shots towards the shore, but got no reply ; we then decided to wait till 12 o'clock, to see if any of the men would turn up; we were all standing aft, and the natives commenced firing; none of us were armed; they continued firing for about three-quarters of an hour; two bullets went through the topsails, and one was found on the deck; I then got a rifle, and fired in the direction from which the natives were firing; I was standing on the starboard quarter; from what I saw I have no doubt whatever that the captain, Charlie [Carl], and three kanakas were murdered; I did not hear any firing from the captain and his party when they reached the shore; the cable was slipped at 12 o'clock, and we reached Double Island Point about the beginning of this month; the natives' object, I believe, in attacking the boat was to take the trade, and afterwards the vessel; we were not engaged in the labour traffic; the three natives who brought the copra off to the vessel were quite contented with the trade given in exchange; I gave the captain and Charlie the revolvers on the second trip; the captain did not express that there was likely to be any difficulty on shore.
Augustus O. W. Routch, owner of the schooner Elibank Castle, stated that the vessel had been licensed by the Governor of New South Wales to trade in the South Sea Islands, and was registered in that colony.
While the accounts vary slightly, it is quite clear that the stated intent of the voyage was not to recruit for the labour trade and the vessel was not licensed to engage in the labour trade. There is little doubt, however, that the hostile response at Banyetta was a reaction against previous labour recruiters and their actions. This first voyage of the Elibank Castle to the Pacific Islands resulted in the murder of a total of six people and it was a great surprise to many that a second voyage was undertaken in 1885.
Image Source
iTouch Map -Banyetta Point on Rendova island, Solomon Islands
Acknowledgements: The assistance of Mori Flapan (Mori Flapan boatregister) by providing access to his extensive database is greatly appreciated.
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