The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-09-20

bout III n. NJ. the prisoners were landed
and ranged, seated on the beach their
conquerors having brought on shore in
baskets, the salted bodies of the victims
of their ferocity. Each basket is of sui-
ticient size to hold human body cut up
into pieces of these there were, accord
ing to Capt. Briggs calculation, about
one hundred. The war dance then com
menced. 1t is the most frightful method
of rejoicing of which the human mind
can convey to itself any idea.--The war
riors entirely naked-their long black
hair, although matted with human gore,
yet flowing partially in the wind-ln the
left hand human head--in the right a
bayonetted musket, held by the middle of
the barrel. Thus with a song, the terri
BILE expression of which can only be i'm
agined by being heard, did they dance
round their wretchcd yictims-every now
and then again approaching them with
gestures threatening death under its most
horrible form of lingering torture! But
they did not inflict it. None of them
killed.-All were apportioned among the
conquering warriors as slaves, and one
old man and little boy excepted, who
were sentenced to be sacrificed to their
demon of vengeance. The feast was
then prepared, at which these two VIC
Tins were to be killed and eaten. 1t con-
sisted of about one hundred baskets OF
potatoes, and sort of green vegetable
of delicious flavor, and equal quantity of
whale blubber and human flesh. Every
thing being arranged, the poor and old
man was brought forth horribly accoutred
for death, having affixed round his neck
the head of his son, whose body formed
part of the Internal banquet then exhibit
cd. Here, for the first time to the dis
"a ace of the female character, few wo-
men appeared. Some few wives and
mothers, whose husbands, or whose sons
had been in their turn killed and APP
preached the poor old man, and plucking
the hair of his head and his beard, prick
ing him with the teeth of some fish or
other animal, inflicted upon him every
possible bodily torture, while the inven-
tions of the demoniacal countrymen were
doing their utmost to agonize his mind
Captain Briggs, who witnessed all this,
determined to save this poor mans life
and that of the boy, who was also to be
sacrificed, if such could be done by either
force or price. The boy was brought
forth to die. A man had the axe extend
ed over his head, and was about to cleave
in twain, when Captain Briggs, at haz-
ard which may be easily understood,
seized him, and by threats and entrcaties,
the risk of which at such time, he can
not now contemplate without shuddering,
obtained the life of the boy altogether,
and that Of the old man for the time!
The next day he was taken to another
place, when his doom was sealed with
every circumstance ofhorror and atrocity.
The boy still lives. Capt. Briggs paid
the ransom of his life in muskets and
gunpowder. lie conveyed him in safety
to his ship and he is now here, in Hob
art Town, gratefully acknowledging his
obligation to the worthy man who saved
him from death.
ain the mean time the bloody banquet
went on, the Hecho, the Robulloh, and
the rest, devouring the contents of the
baskets we have described with the great
est delight. The manner in which the
bodies had been salted, at nearly the hot
test seasons of the year, had been too i'm
perfect to prevent the process of decom-
position from proceeding to so consider
nbe an extent, that the worms crawled
upon the putrid flesh as it was devoured.
1t was horrible sight. Capt. Briggs had
the curiosity to open one of the baskets
which was near him. 1t contained the
head and body Of a beautiful young fe-
male. One of the officers of the ship,
who was with him, had resolution enough
to disscct the breast away with his pen
knife hc wrapped it up in handker-
chief, took it on board the Dragon, put it
into spirits, and presented it to II gentle
man in Hobart Town, in whose possess
sion it now is.
"While this dreadful scene was going
on, the Marine wife was confined in irons
in the fore cabin of the English brig, of
which we have spoken. On the passage
from Banks Harbor to Cooks Strait,
this chieitain and his wife, well knowing
the dreadful tortures which awaited them
from their ferocious enemies, took an ef-
fectual method ofpreventing their daugh-
tor from undergoing the sutfcrings to
which they knew she was destined they
strangled her. The Captain then placed
both the Marinewie and his wife in irons,
to prevent them from destroying them
selves. They were landed on the 10Th of
November by the Robulloh, and convey
cd some short distance into the interior.
Capt. Briggs was not able to ascertain
their fate but we understand that it was
intended, that after they had been dcs-