Polynesian., 1845-04-19
NEW SERIES. Vol. mo. az.

NuJaCent 10 the ShOrc upon the south side
OF the island are a number of deep caves,
communicating with one another, and only
accessible from the sea. These are shown
as the resort of the last oCMe cannibals, and
thence, long after the custom had been abol-
ishcd among his fellows, this monster would
sally forth armed with the terrible war-club
and spear that had ever rendered the war
like Mangoans formidable enemies, and seiz-
ing upon young women or children drag
them to his den to furnish his wolGsh meal.
Many OF their sons and daughters had dis
appeared thus mysteriously, and the fathers
OF Mangca were at n loss to divine the
cause. Another and yet another had gone
to the iavorite spring of sweet water
which gushcd from the side ofthe hill over
looking the sea, and never returned. One,
the t%avorite daughter of old Robulla a chief
of the first rank, had gone forth at evening,
and was seen taking her usual walk along
the shore, but from that hour her fathers
house was dcsolate his singing bird re-
turned no more to her nest, and no tidings
were heard of her afterwards. The SUPER
stitlous fears of the people were now fully
awakened, and fearful of falling into an
ambush of the Evil One or some of his
emlssaries, they dared not venture beyond
the Threshold Of their own doors. None
but the slaves were allowed to 90 without
the bounds of the villages, and these only
in the day time, to bring water from the
springs or wood from the hills. This favored
the cannibal not a little, nor did he fail to
discover the general panic Of the Mangeans.
He saw those mighty chiefs and warriors
who had so often led him on to battle COM
pletely overpowered with fear, and like
women, shut up in their houses. Embol-
dened by his recent success, and perhaps
having a wish for something more delicate
than the slaves afforded. the cannibal sailed
forth one night armed with his club, and
approaching the house of a young chief
whose father had been his contemporary in
arms for half "a century, with the fond hope
that one Of the old warriors grand children
might come forth, a fit morsel for his de-
PRAYED appetite, he laid himself Town at the
door to watch. Presently a noise is heard
within, and he listened. 1t is the wife
of Hammee, the young chief: her child is
i'll, and she is going to the house of her
mother for assistance. Her hand is upon
the door, and the cannibal sprang to his feet.
She emerged into the darkness, and he al
when a blow from his club lays her dead at
his feet. Young Hammcc waits in vain the
return of his wife. They had been married
five years, but he loved her with all the
freshness of his bridal day, and feeling sure
she too had fallen a victim to the fell demon
that had so long been the curse of his i'll
fated people, and he should see her no more,
his grief knew no bounds, and tearing his
hair and garments, he refused to be COM
fortcd.
The white missionary visited him. He
had long, indeed from the first, believed the
demon they so much feared was a monster in
human form, and recolIecting the fact that
one old chief had upon his arrival steadily
manifested the most violent opposition to the
new religion, and declared it his intention
to live and die a cannibal as had his fathers
before him, he was convinced that although
believed to be dead, this old chief was still
in existence and in the habit of INDUCING his
inhuman propensity as formerly. After a
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