Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-12-01
The Fill Island Cannfbals-A Set
tiers Stories.

The Fill Island CannfbaIs-A Set.
tiers Stories.
Noticing the departure from San
Francisco for Levuka Of brig Of one
hundred tons burden, owned by ii. s.
Fuller, her captain, and s. A. st. John,
two veteran residents Of the FIJI Islands,
the Alta says:
capt. Fuller is the Oldest American
settler, having gone there from Sydney
over twenty years ago. Here he has al
so moved his English wife, and here he
has large family of children who are
truly native and 10 the manner born.
During their long residence in these far
off isles, the above-named enterprisipg
spirits have been actively engaged in
both maratime and agricultural pursuits.
They now own adjoining cotton planta-
tions, which are being successfully and
proftably cultivated. Their craft just
about to sail is to be employed in this
business, and more particularly in trans
porting laborers and others from distant
groups to Leyuka, for no work can be
coaxed or forced from the native Fjians,
who ridicule the idea of one so degrad-
ing himself as to resort to manual labor
He has his bread-fruit, his single and
scaht garment and his matched cot, and
he is content. The working bees come
| from Solomon's Island and Neville
brides; cotton raised is pronounced in
the Liverpool market superior to the
Sea Island, and the last crop shipped,
amounting to 5000 bales, commanded 81
per pound. The soil is sandy loan,
and clay sub-soil mixed with lava. The
native laborers on the plantations com
mand $40 per month, and there are
some 5000 of them employed on the
is,ands. Nearly all of the foreigners
are English. In Levuka there are 700
inhabitants, and Methodist, Episcopal
and Catholic churches, besides a native
mission The religion of the natives is
mainly eoutrolled by public policy.
Their present Chief was formerly a can
nibal. When converted he had ll,0OO
followers. The human fesh-eating
chiefs are known as Butchers Cam
nibalism still exists to an alarming ex-
tent throughout the interior of Vitelene,
an island 80 by 60 miles in extent. An
nual feasts are given to .'nch chiefs as
have slain foes in battle aud performed
deeds of daring. At these disgusting car
nivals the bodies of native boys OF twelve
to fourteen years Of age only are eaten.
From earliest childhood they are tat
tened for the horrid feasts. They are fed
wholly upon fruits and vegetables. When
the day of slaughter rolls round, two
front teeth are extracted from the mouth
of the child. These are inserted in a
club, with which weapon the murder is
committed, the teeth being driven deep
into the skull of the helpless victim.
The body is then dissected, entrails, etc,
removed, and atterward utinto suitably
, tzed steaks. These are rolled in bread
Fl nit leaves placed in holes in the earth
an 81 baked for the feast The native boy
ae N is for the palates of the Chiefs only.
m, VI of the white man is considered too
salhr and smoky, and is not regarded as
tooth come. Captain Fuller informs us
that here are over 100000 cannibals on
the island, and only last August two
Scotch men were captured and eaten by
the mai ives. There is prospect Of this
worse than heathenish custom being
in time, now that the entering
wedge Of civilization is forcing the bar
barians to respect the white settle