Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-02-14
Farm and Fzres1de.
n C.s.v.vIB.sL FRRR.u.sSO.v.

We yesterday published from the Albany
Evening Times the announcement of the
death of the celebrated surgeon, DR.. Cooke G,
with short biographical sketch from the
same paper. Mr.. W. i. Dolmage of this
city, who has been an intimate friend of the
doctors for many years, informs us that
the article contains some inaccuracies, chief
among which were his age and the time of
his arrival in this country. Mr.. Dolmage
informs us that DR.. George Cooke was OF
years old on the Sth of March last that he
first came to this country in 1872, as sur
geon of a British war ship; that he went
back to England at the close of the war
with this country, and returned to New
York in 1920. He then went to South
America for short time; returned to
New York, and in 1860 located himself in
Albany and established dispensary, and
attained fame and wealth. For many years
past he made frequent and long visits to
this city, where he had purchased de-
lightfully located residence on the Oswego
river. This property he afterward sold to
Mr.. Dolmage, but continued his periodical
visit to the Dolmages and enjoyed their
hospitality.
Mr.. Dolmage relates many thrilling in
cidents in the early and venturesome life
of DIR. Cooke, one of which we give in the
veritable words of the relator:
''In 1907 DR.. Cooke, then surgeon of the
British man-of-war 'Belcher,' which was
cruising off the Tonga islands, rwent ashore
with twelve of the crew to gather herbs for
medical purposes. They were all captured
by the natives, who proved TO be cannbals
They were Immediately bound with strips
of bark and thrown into sort of hole or
cave in the side of a hill and kept there I'M
til the next morning. During the night
the unfortunate victims heard the hellish
yels of the savages, who were preparing
for the horrible feast of the morrow. In
the morning they were brought out into
the light; unbound, stripped entirely max
ed, again firmly bandaged, trussed and
laid upon their faces on the ground in two
rows and about four feet apart. The male
savages who had assembled from the sur
rounding islands in large numbers, form
ed circle, the inner diameter of which
was about sixty feet, and the women and
children were placed inside the circle. The
latter beat tom-toms and yelled in fiendish
chorus, while the males performed devils
dance for fully an hour.
"This done, twenty-six brawny and
naked savages-the whole gathering of
demons, old and young, male and female,
were perfectly nude-twenty-six powerful
savages advanced two of whom seized
- 4.
ged them about two thousand feet to a
sandy beach, upon which the copper-coor-
ed sun sent down its fierce, quivering,
broiling and unobstructed rays. Here was
gathered wood in thirteen piles-one for
each victiIn-and the savages were seating
themselves in groups around each pile.
Another ring was formed around DR..
Cooke and his com anions, and a short
dance was performed, when, at some sig
nal from the chiel--a magnificent brute,
nearly eight feet tall 'and made in proper
tion'-there was dead silence. The hungry
looking savages sank upon the sand, lick
ing their chops like famished wolves.
"The chief then approached the helpless
victims and began critical examination
of the physical condition Of each. He lift
ed their upper and lower lips-examined
their teeth drove his powerful thumb in
to their armpits pressed his hand upon
their ribs felt of their legs and arms-al
the while wearing the expression of a
bloated epicure.
"During the progress of this examination,
the thirteen fires were lighted and added
their heat to that of the relentless sun. The
chief finally approached DIR. Cooke, turned
him upon his back, wreathed his hand in
to his hair, and lifted him upon his feet.
The savage marked with his finger upon