Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-04-20

Interesting account Of his adventures
among the inhabitants of the Marquesas
Islands wnere for so many years he lived
and ruled We give below few extracts
from bis narrative
CANNIBALIsM.
The Marquesans are tall, ino y'!ormed
men of Il dark copper color, agile, and
very courageous. The women are slender,
and much shorter than the men. They
arc inveterate capuihals, and this not from
necessity, but because tl'cy prefer human
flesh to an7 other kind Of food. The
bread-fruit grows in immense quantities
in all the islands, without any trouble OF
cultivation, and the natives can gather
what they please. There are also great
quantities OF bananas, pine apples, boova,
taro, and other tropical vegetables grow
ing wild. The islands are frequented by
wild pigeons in prodigious numbers, and
there are plenty of wild goats and wild
pigs. The seas abound with fish, which
the natives catch by stupefying them with
a narcotic drug and then hosting them
rapidly into their canoes. This drug is
called arasa, and is prepared by the M
tives from small plant growing in differ
ent parts of the islands. Nature, indeed,
has been lavish in her gifts to these bcauti-
ful regions. And, therefore, it is not
want, but actual relish for mans flesh,
that tempts them TO these dismal feasts.
1t appears that they have human ban
quet about once week. The victims are
the prisoners taken in the numerous for
ays which the islanders make upon ona
another. These unf0rtunates are slain,
their bodies stuffed with sweet scented
herbs, and then roasted upon hot stones.
They are covered over with more of these
leaves and hot stones apparently, from
the description, much after the plan Of
cooking clans at a clam bake, and finally
when cooked, are eaten at the public feast.
Starr says that he did all he could to per-
suadc the people to forego these horrid
practices but, though they were willing
enough TO obey him in other things, they
declined to follow his advice in this. On
one occasion. he says, they had prepared
for feast of mau's flesh, and as he had
d great horror of the whole affair, he went
& fl TO the mountains 10 hunt. While he
was on the mountains a schooner arrived
in the bay. 1t was tho Sea Witch COM
nianded by Captain Chapman, who had
formerly been American Vice-Consul at
I!aiotca. Tie Captain came ashore to see
Starr and trade with him for fruits, &c,
He ascended from the rock shore, and
walking through the little town, came
straight to the public square when the
cannibal feast was as its height. A ma
tive, knowing the purpose for which he
had landed, came forward and taking
him by the arm, pointed out Starr's hut,
and tried to make him understand that he
should wait there while they sent a boy
after the white chief. The Captain,
however, seeing the nature Of the dreful
festivities then in progress, began to be
much alarmed lie doubted what these
singular gesticulations could mean; being
fat, healthy man, horrid supicion be-
CAD to tingle beneath the roots Of his
hair; he released himself from the grasp
of the natives at bound. and rushing of
at the top of his speed, never stopped UNI
til he reached his boat which he caused
the man to force with pretty rapid strokes
through the water until they came along
side the schooner. Starr afterwa,d met
the Captain in Raiotea, and he told him
that he had never been SO much frighten-
in the course of his life.
TABOO.
We are apt to talk of the tiresome eti-
auette and tedious conventionalities of
civilized life, and are also apt to imagine
that there is q delicious freedom aud alb
sence Of restraint among uncivilized tribes.
Nothing can be more inaccurate than such
ideas. These Marqucsans are literally
iron-bound in set of conventional and
superstitlous rules which extend to the
most minute circumstances of life. The
great moral apparatus for the direction Of
society here, is called "taboo," which sig
nfics anything that is sacred Or forbidden
or reserved. "Taboo" embodies all these
signi6cations, and something more, since
it implies also fearful retribution upon all
who violate it. Thus, all the men eat
together, and all the articles Of food that
are prepared for them are ''taboo;" and
must never be touched by woman. Ev-
en- the house where the public meals are