The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-06
Tho King or the Cannihnl IsInnGs.


King Thakambau, Of Fiji, is another Of the
royal visitors whom we may expect upon our
shores during the coming summer. He comes,
1t is reported, to negotiate sale of his royal
domnions, the FIJI Islands, to the United
States as part indemnity for acts Of cannibal-
Ism perpetrated By himself and his subjects
upon American sailors some years ago. It
appears that the entire crews of two Ameri-
can vessels were rationed out among his
people on that occasion, and the United States
has presented bill therefor which Thakam-
bau thinks 100 high, especially for salt provi-
sions His object in visiting our country
is to have the bill cut down and to sell
his lands to us in part payment of il and
possibly to annul all contracts for supplies
at such ruinous rates. few years ago he
sent to the State Department sharks tooth,
an appropriate emblem of Fjian amity
and good will, as preliminary to tho present
proposed formal treaty; but as our govern
ment then administered by Johnson and
Seward, was too busy with its own cannibal-
ism to attend to the matter, it went over into
the dusty pigeonholes of the State Depart
ment.
King Thakambau seems to have become
strangely restless under this incubus of debt.
With a conscicntousness only known to bar
barians, ignorant Of the uses of accommodate
ing tailors and landladles, he has felt horror
of getting his meals or his brooches on credit.
He has no satisfaction in taking his Yankees
on tick, and he feels no comfort in having
10 tr,f cIo to In
has been somewhat extravaganza it is true.
His love for our missionaries, especially when
baked TO crispy brown, has led him into some
excuses of hospitality. II has been his usual
custom to have numbers of them and other
juicy foreigners always at table with him.
But the heavy debt that he has incurred
by his genial hospitality has rendered him
comparatively poor at present and has proper
tionately curtailed his sphere Of benevolence.
He cannot furnish his royal larder in accord
ance with the dignity Of his station when
Yankee spareribs are three dollars a pound
and other meats range high in proportion.
Now he finds that t. ae is '.Qa! Of the frying pan
lpto tne fre." His prandial missionary broils
have produced an international broil, and his
stewed Jack tars have got him into stew Of
another sort. 49,. s.e as...,--.-.
It remains for the United States to meet
this royal debtor in the right kind of spirit
He comprises within himself the mission and
duties of an entire High Commission. AS he has
undoubtedly fed upon subjects Of all nations, it
may even be that he comprises within him
self the actual neshy material of an entire
High Joint English and American Commission.
He certainly has the distinguishing quality Of
the present Commisson-that of dining-de-
veloped and cultivated within him to very
high degree. 1t will become necessary, there
fore, for the United States government TO
treat him with all the honors due his station,H
and, in the interests OF diplomacy, to dine
him according to his tastes and the Importance
of his mission. He must not be left to the ten
der mercies of Washington boarding houses.
No pate dc fol gras can compensate him Tor
smothered baby leg; no mystic hash for wo-
man on toast no oyster pGtes for sailor bits
baked nor the traditional turkey leg for mis-
sionary ham. He would sigh for home and his
own festive board ere he had been here two
weeks on such diet as the boarding houses Of
Washin gton would give him, and he would be
certain to raise the price for his real estate TO
an alarming extent, or else refuse TO sell out
his homestead, kitchen included, at any price.
The unappeasing pastry of State Department
dinners will not stay his hungry edge Of appe-
tite. The tempting luxuries Of the White House
larder will have no soothing effect upon his
insatiate nav. There will be only one course
to pursue. He must have a diet of human
flesh, young and tender, or we will fail in the
spirit of generous hospitality that seems to be
the soul of diplomacy. Some of the 'babies
to be adopted" might be secured for his use,
and If he brings anything like full suite
with him the contract for his rations will have
to be given to some well conducted and
we'll fed founding asylum. We may thus
keep in good odor with one who bids fair TO be
a very useful and faithful ally-one who has
shown high regard for international ameni-
ties in Offering to pay bill we had for
gotten, and who is well calculated to teach
our quibbling dplomatists of the Joint High
Commission the true worth Of plain, straight
forward negotiation We shall hail the arrival
of the good Thakambau, therefore, as a new
and beneficial lesson in the sciences Of diplo-
macy and dining.
HoEey pokey, winkcy wung,
Flippery fapperty, buskey bung,
Chlngcree wlnger, wangeree wung,
The King or the Cannlbal Islands
The NEW YORK REPUBLICAN MUDDLE.-.
IF a nolitical marty was ever in an ineytri-