Chuukese attack Cheyne’s Naiad and Will o’ the Wisp, killing six crew; Cheyne burns houses and canoes.

What happened

Cheyne had brought the brig Naiad and schooner Will o’ the Wisp into the lagoon to collect bêche-de-mer, and islanders first helped build curing sheds. When the Naiad moved to another village, a large force attacked the schooner, killing six crew and wounding five; Cheyne then burned houses and canoes.

Why it matters

Cheyne’s 1852 sailing directions warned ships away, and Chuuk became known among sailors as “Dreaded Hogoleu,” a reputation Hezel calls not completely undeserved but largely of Cheyne’s making.