British and Foreign State Papers

(Inclosure 2.)-Lieutenant-Commander McHardy to Captain Adams. SIR, Semiramis, of Bareda, October 27, 1862. HAVING by your orders landed in command of the party dispatched from Her Majesty's ship Semiramis, to search for evidence of the massacre of the boats' crews of Her Majesty's steam gunvessel Penguin, I have the honour to make the following report.

On landing yesterday afternoon, we separated a short distance, and traversed the beach, hoping to find some of the bodies. We soon had proof, by finding some remnants of the unfortunate men's clothing, that we were at the place of the massacre; that numbers of huts had been recently removed was apparent by the remains of fires and fresh goat's dung.

Captain Playfair accompanied us on shore, with the old Somali that, at his request, you brought from Bunder Muriyah. Soon after we came upon the first traces of our murdered countrymen, I observed this old Somali making off. Lieutenant Moreland called to him to stop; as he did not comply, I ran after and stopped him. and put him in charge of the interpreter (Juma). Following this Somali separated me a little from the more advanced of our party. When I came up with them, I learnt that a piece of our cutter had been found burning close to a small hut, which Captain Playfair immediately set fire to.

One of your men, who had searched further from the beach than the rest, informed us that he had seen two huts, and a Somali run out of one of them. On receiving this information, Lieutenant Moreland and myself expressed our opinion to Captain Playfair that it was imperative they should be burnt. As we had already fired one, he agreed, and we proceeded to the spot where the man stated he had seen them, and there we found 5 wretched huts, all containing some of the property of the murdered men, or gear of the boat. Amongst the things found were a small pair of parallel rulers and a small camel's hair pencil that had belonged to Sub-Lieutenant Fountaine, which had certainly not been in the water. This proves that the boat was not capsized in the surf, as some of the Somalis have stated.

We set fire to the 5 huts, and then returned on board, as it was dark. On our way to the boats, the old Somali again tried to get away from us.

This morning, by your orders, I landed with the same party, with the exception of Captain Playfair, who did not accompany us, to make further search for the bodies. We came across 3 more wretched huts, about two miles inland, which we burnt. They all contained something that had belonged to our boats.

Just after setting fire to these huts, a Somali was observed a few hundred yards a-head. We gave chase, and shortly afterwards heard

the report of a musket or rifle-I think it was the latter. We proceeded in the direction of the sound, which was the same as the Somali had taken, until we observed 15 Somalis on top of the hill on one side of a deep ravine, while we were about half way up the hill on the other side of the ravine. They were unfortunately not within range of our muskets, and to have attempted to reach them over such ground as it was would have been madness; therefore I directed your Somali interpreter to advance alone, and to hail them to observe that he was alone, and intending no harm, merely wishing to speak with them. He accordingly advanced, and shouted to them until a conversation was opened. I then joined your interpreter, and told him to make known to the Somalis that if one of them would come down and point out the bodies, his safety was guaranteed. He could not induce any one to approach, therefore he went himself, and joined their party of 15.

After waiting some time, being disappointed in the hope that a Somali would come down, I approached them to within a few yards, and with the assistance of the interpreter, tried to persuade one to come and point out the bodies, and give an account of the massacre, but did not succeed.

The interpreter told me that there were 70 Somalis on the bill, although I only saw 15; he also stated that there were a much larger number just the other side of the hill.

All endeavours to induce one of the Somalis to trust himself with us failed, and I reluctantly ordered a return to the beach, which was obeyed, but clearly only from the force of discipline, for it was very apparent that it was with a very heavy heart that every man left the murderers of his countrymen unscathed; but we stood at such a very great disadvantage owing to the nature of the ground, that an attack would certainly have been unsuccessful.

From the information gained by Baleooz, it appears that the bodies of those murdered men who were not drowned were burned; we, therefore, returned on board, thinking any further search would be useless.

I do not detail the information gained by the interpreters, as immediately on our arrival on board, their statements were taken down by Captain Playfair, and he will doubtless furnish you with I have, &c.

a copy.

Captain Adams.

J. G. G. McHARDY.

(Inclosure 3.)-Evidence taken by Captain Playfair.