Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-10-21
NO. $50
Misfellany.
THE FIJI CANNIBALS.

The Fiji Times of July 90 thus describes
the outbreak of war on the northwest
coast, which was attended by q terrible
massacre Particulars of the fate of Mr..
Norman, who was murdered and eaten by
his crew, are also given.
We have just heard frightful news from
Ia, on the northwest coast of Wit Levu.
For sometime past the Ba people have
been at war with the mountaineers, and
few have been killed on both sides, but
| letter Just in from the native minister in
forms us of fearful massacre. The
mountaineers from Navosa came down to
Nalotu, an inland district. hitherto subject
to Ba, and the advanced fortress or Bri-ni-
mua of the Ba people. They put up war
fence, and then Wawabalavu, the Navosa
chief called out and said, You Nalotu
people, | am Wawabalavu. | it was who
ate Mr.. Baker, and the Bau men. Do you
trust to the Lasakau people Don't; their
trade is fishing. You offer peace offering
or make submission that you may live"
The Nalotu people were filed with fear,
and presented peace offerings. The noun
taineers then entered their towns and re-
manned for a few days in apparent friend
illness, but their number was being con-
tinually increased by new arrivals from
the hills. They then turned round sud-
denly upon the Nalotu people and slaugh-
tered so of them. That so many have
been killed is beyond doubt. Silas, the ma
tive minister, who lives at Ba writes:
The Nayuuivasi town, III killed; Dram
tani, ia; Koroikewa, 50; Nasaga, 81
| altogether, $40. That this number were
dubbed is clear, but there are many still
missing, who are hiding in the jungle, or
har toIa nf1 20 No
vosa. Perhaps they are killed, but their
bodies have not yet been found Only
l04 have escaped alive to b." The
heathens say that the next town they will
attack will be Sagunu, the chief town of
the Ba district. 1t is thought that Nabeka,
a noted cannibal Ba chief who is envious
OF Tui Ba, is one with Wawabalavu in this
treachery. The same tribe, and from the
| same town, murdered the unfortunate
| missionary Mr.. Baker, in 1867, in his at
tempt to pass through their country ON an
exploring tour. The Ba coast has no
white settlers upon it, but attention was
being drawn to the Ba River and land was
being bought upon it for cotton growing
when the writer was in Fiji three months
ago
Capt Field of the Mary Ann Christian
informs us that on board the Colleen
Bawn, at Tanna, he met with Jimmie
Lasulasu who has long since been reck-
oned with the dead. Our readers will re-
member that boat which left Levuka for
Nasavusavu about II months ago, with II
New IIebrides laborers, their employer,
Mr.. Norman, late OF Sandhust, near Mel
bourne, and the aforesaid Jimmie, never
reached its destination. The boat was
thought to have been wrecked, and all on
board lost. Jammie Lasulasu informed
Capt. Field that when on their way to
Nasavusavu the natives took possession of
the boat, compelling them to steer first
one way and then another, and threatened
to kill them if they did not land them on
their own island. On the 18th day they
murdered Mr.. Norman, splitting his head
open with a tomahawk. They cooked
and ate the body, thrusting portions Of
his cooked companion into the face of
JammIe. The journey was long, and with
no food or water on board the hardships
may be imagined. The natives died one
after the other, till by a lucky chance the
boat was cast upon the shore-reef of an
island only 20 miles from that to which
they belonged. Jimmie has been living
on that island for the last twelve months,
and was perfectly nude when rescued by
the Colleen Bawn a week or two since.
Mr.. Norman was highly respectable
settler, who besides his plantation in Fiji.
had grocery business in Sandhurst, in
charge of which he left his wife, now his
widow, when he came down here. He
procured the laborers from the William
and Julia. They had been engaged and
brought here by Capt. McLiver, and some
who came with them are said to be now
on Mr. SCOTS plantation at Vido.