The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-30
"CAWNIBAL JACK"
The King OF the CannibaI Islands-HIs
Arrival I'm New YOrk-SingulRr stories
of his Career-Thirty Years among the
Mo-

Arrival I'm New YOrk-Singular stories
of his Career-Thtrty Years among the
Man. eaters.
There has jpst arrived in New York an "old
salt" known as "Cannibal jack" Never dld the
most extravagant fancy conceive wilder or
more adventurous career than that which he
tells OF. This singular parsonage is a brown
bearded man OF medium size, dark complexion,
retiring manner, and most perpleXlng accent.
Any one would pronounce him foreigner but
no TWO would agree as to his nationality. He
has never permitted himself TO be tattooed, but
bears his credentials in the shape of a round
hole in bis forehead, made by the point OF a
javelin, which he struck up with his club in time
TO prevent its piercing his breast.
Despite his oniDous title OF "Cannibal Jack"
he asserts that he has never tasted human flesh,
although his savage Marquesas subjects feast
upon 1t every week with the utmost relish! us
it possible? And whom do they eat? '0h,
prisoners of war m ostly, and any strangers they
can catch.n "And, l say" continues the ques-
toner, with slight shiyer, "how do they cook
them?" Bake them! Take them just as you
would "a pig, clean them and stuff
them with sweet-scented leaves and hot stones.
Then they lay hot stones on the ground for an
oven, cover them with leaves, put the bodies on
finally layer of earth to keep in the heat and
the steam from the green leaves" ''And can't
you stop it?' "Not bit! l can save white
men, but not natives"
Owing to his knowledge of their many dia-
lects, and his familiarity with their customs, he
Is either obeyed or feared In many different
island groups, out the special seat OF his power
j. on Uitahu, one OF the Marquesas Islands.
There white man named Butcher, was chief
when Jack first landed, and there Butchers
skull is still preserved There Jack reigns in
naked and native dignity, with his tappa glrdle
and his feather head dress. Tnere he has FOUR
teen wives in one house, besides mauy more on
other islands. There he makes laws for
two thousand islanders, and plans raids upon
the Typee savages of Dominica, another OF the
Marquesas Islands, with whose natives he is
ceaselessly at war. There are his double war
canoes, made of boards sewed together with
cocoanut sennet, and propelled IA miles an hour
by 800 rowers, who not only keep stroke to the
sound of war song but vary the exercise
every few moments by dnglng their paddles in
the air and catching them as they fall with
military precision.
Jack is evidently of a Christian turn of mind,
does not swear, and takes pleasure In attending
olvine service. Nevertheless he does not ike
missionaries, will not allow them on his island,
and declares that Father Damon, at honolulu,
and Mr.. Brown, on one of the Navigator Islands,
are the only ones who have done the natives
any real good. He charges the others with
coVetOusness, inhumanity, and other nameless
vlllanies.
Fourteen years ago Boston traveller, who
helped to found the 1rst ne ewspaper in the Sand
Wlch Islands, offered Jack 500 ii he would
return with HIM to boston anu relate his story
in detail. in order that book might be made
of it, Jack declined, but now, as he wishes to
make little money, ne Is quite ready to accept
such proposition. He intends to go TO New
Bedford in II few days TO visit certain whaling
captains of his acquaintance whom he expects
| TO find there, and hopes to get funds enough to
| buY some tools, ammunition. aud "old ne VS.
| papers with stories in them.n to take back with
| him; for next November will doubtless find him
| tar on his way to his island kingdom, as he de-
clsres he would not spend winter IN this cold
| climate for half the city of New York."
1t will be impossible for us in our limited
| space to detail the career of this remarkable
parsonage, but will give just an insight into
what he has been doing. Born in q small vii.
| l0p in the vicinity OF Rochester. New York ha
| made his home, upon the death OF his parents,
| with an elder sister, who resided in the city.
| This excellent young woman sent him to school,
| and switched him so faithfully when he played
| truant, as he often did, that he ran away at the
tender age OF nine years, ana succeeded in
making his way across York state TO Mystic, on
| Long Island Sound.
Here, in his zeal to see the strange sights of a
| seaport town, he boarded ship which was just
| on the point of sailing for HaVre, and was car.
rled off before he could regain the shore. He
| made himself as useful as he could. aud on ar
| irving In the French port, Immediately ran
| away again, lest the captain, who had learned
| his story, should send him back to Rochester.
Getting on Seine steamer. he made TWO or three
| trips between Hayre and Rouen; but one day,
| in emptying the hot water out of a "dog-basket" "
| he unluckily pitched lot OF plates and
| spoons overheard. whereupon the Wrathy Ste "
| ard kicked the poor little fellow so soundy with
his wooden shoes that he was glad 70 scamper
| ashore. Then the mate OF a Scotch schooner
took pity on him, and he tried to repay the
mates Blindness up helping to hoist the
schOoner's anchor out of the way of the tide,
which rushes by the Seine furiously. By some
mishap it slipped, and its whole weight dragged
n rope through his hands so swiftly as to
actually rasp the aesh from the bones
The captain was highly vexed, and
drove him on shore again; but The
mate aud crew sided with the little chat
who had held 10 the rope so pluckilyj left the
schooner in a body, and the captain had no smal
trouble IN getting them back again. In thu
mean lille the young adyenturer got his hurt
dressed, fell into the hands OF good-nature
| old FIenchman, who took excellent care OF him
and at last shipped on Swedish ship for
cruise in the Baltic Sea. Near Dantslc he rar
away again, because the mate threateneo U
beat him for dealing out too much coffee to th
men. For two DAYS he lived on green wheat ant
, tried to catch storks. The second night he crep
cautiously on board, aud was just shipping int'
his berth when the captain called him into tn
cabin perched him up on the transom Locker Ssn
with nothing on but his shirt, lectured nla
roundly on the folly Of running away, ant
. finally shuilhim up in the empty hold TIL nool
the next day, After visiting Cronstadt AN