The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-02-08
From the syduey Morning Heraa. NOV. &c, ls-2l
An Interesting CruIse-Why and Where
the Blanche" Cruised.

SIMPSON. letL sydney. y. =. W. On I'm lldFs
for the South Sea Islands, with orders 10 visit as
many islands, beche-de-mer fisheries, and pearl
stations, n possible; 10 obtain all the reliable IN
formation with regard 10 British subjects re-
ported murdered, tie practice Of skull hunting,
treatment Of islanders employed on fisheries and
plantations, the practice Of kidnapping, and to
collect information On these and all Gher subjects
Of interest.
In the first place it will be necessary 10 inform
your readers that for some years there have been
trading vessels running between Australia and tue
SOUTH Sea Islands, and this trade II fist increas-
ing. The principal produce OF the Islands (Which
are exchanged for barter in the shape Of toma-
hawks, knives, beads, cloth, pipes, tobacco, &C.
l. cOcoaEut OIL, cUpra from the cOcoanuts, beche-
de-mer, pearls, pearl shells, and toIt0iseshell.
SKULL HUNTING.
The practice Of skull hunting is a most bar
barous custom OF the natives Of these islands,
who in many cases, undoubtedly, have been as
sisted by the white men, Is brought about In the
following manner "A vessel arrives at one of
these Islands, and the King is informed by the
master Of the vessel that he Is DESTROYS Of trading
and baTteTing. The answer is, that he has 30
much cocOanut oil, &c, which he is willing to
part with for trade gear, provided be will allow
some Of hs (the King's) warriors TO take passage
in the vessel 70 such and such an island with whom
they are at war. This is agreed on, and a num-
Der Of these sO-called warriors are embarked. On
arrival at the island. the unsusrecting natives, as
usual, come alongside. when these sO-called war
riors suddenly attack, kill them, and cut of their
heads, which are kept and placed on pegs in their
tabOO-house as trophies. The master of the vessel
on bis return secures the trade az before promised
in exchange for tobacco, pipes, &c, as most
fancied and wanted by the natives. 1t is but
right 70 state, that although IL Las been reported
BY the missionaries in these islands that white
men have assisted in this barbarous practice Of
skull hunting, yet no single case has been fully
proved.
WHITE KIDxArPERs.
Although none of the white men on board
actually lend a hand in the murders committed,
yet the master ought certainly TO be severely
punished for his STARE in aiding and ~abetting,
more especially as tho natives Of the island where
the murders are committed, thinking it Is done for
the white men, take the first opportunity of re-
venging themselves by numbering the next white
men who come for trade. The practice is to kid
nap the natives from these islands either by force
or false pretences. and TO take them to Queens
land or FIJI, where they are engaged generally at
from Els to EOS each. They are employed on the
sugar plantations, sheep walks, &c, labor being
scarce (and very dear for white men) in the above
named places, and at the end of three years they
are given about Is or so worth of articles, and
are sent back to their islands.
THE ISLANDS VISITED.
During the BHqnche'S cruise she visited the
Solomon, Caroline, Marshall, and Gilbert Groups;
and at all the islands interchangeable in num-
ber-iound the natives afraid of the men-oEwar,
and in consequence extremely well behaved and
civil.
The natives Of the Solomon Islands are sup
posed to be the most treacherous and bloOdthirsty
Of any known savages; they are the most invetc-
rate cannibals, and apparently their sole object in
life is to get each others heads. They are not,
however, a Courageous race. rarely, if ever, fight
ing openly, but attacking suddenly and from the
rear.
HOUSES IN THE TOPS OF TREES.
At Isabel Island, Solomon Group, they have a
curious mode Of building houses in the trees,
which is peculiar 10 this island only. The tree
village visited was built on the summit of a rocky
steep mountain, about 800 feet above the sea, and
was very difficult to ascend; the native path, which,
without guide, could hardly have been disceined,
being very slippery, and leading through a wood
thickly grown with bushes, creepers, &c. On ar
irving at the summit Of this mountain, which was
one MASS OF enormous rocks, amongst which were
growing the gigantic trees, in the branches of
which the houses OF the natives are built; the
stems Of these trees are perfectly smooth, without
a branch for some 30 to 100 feet. One house was
visited, which was some 30 to so feet from the
ground, and the ascent was bv means of a aider,
made of some pliable tree, or very strong Creeper,
somewhat resembling the vine; this ladder ia
made fast to Il post within the house, and can be
pulled up ut pleasure. The houses are firmly and
well made, capable of containing a dozen people,
and are used ut night to sleep in when threatened
by their enemies, so as to Guard against surprise,
tA VI btluB Will IL lulD OI large
stones, which the occupants throw with great
dexterity and precision; at the foot of these trees
is the day hut, used for eating, &c.
AGHAsTLY SIGHT.
At one of the villages on the sea shore of Isa-
bel Island. a most sickly and repulsive sight pre-
sented itself. Across the door Of the chief's house
were mailed twenty-three or twenty-five human
heads, taken about three weeks previously by tins
chief and his followers, from some of his fellow
Islanders, who, they stated, had turned bushmen.
The attack had been made from the rear, as was
evident by the skulls. The flesh was still on the
bones, the eyes protruding, jaws broken, and the
stencil frighttul. The bodies of all these men had
been eaten.
CHEAP MEAT.
At M'Askill Island, Solomon Group, we OBJ
tanned seven large turtles for about 25lbs of to-
bacco, which cost Sd a pound at Sydney. These
turtles averaged Hobs of flesh each when killed
and cut up, being ut the rate of 3Slbs n penny.
SAVAGE FASHIONS.
At Lugunor Island, Caroline Group, where il
is doubtful il any white men had been there for
years, as no sign Of traffic was found, the men
wore their hair in regular European fashion,
chignons being commonest, which were kept up
By a comb having four teeth, the top part of the
comb that was visible being carved, and the whole
surmOunted with a cocks feather; it gave them
rather an eileminate appearance. At Hogolu Isl
ands, Caroline Group, the natives We're very much
frightened, having entirely deserted during the
night the village ON which the BfdRcheanchOrcd
The next day, seeing a number of canoes collected
together, n boat was sent TO endeayur to persuade
them to come alongside and barter. After time
the boat succeeded in getting amongst them.
They were all quite naked, painted in regular
savage style, and the boats loaded with spears,
slings, and stones. They eventually came along
side, and were very friendly.
At St. Matthias's Island. solomon Group, no
anchorage could be found. The natives came
down to the beach in great numbers, and seemed
very anxious for the vessel to stop, shouting and
gesticulating in the most absurd manner; both
men and women were quite naked-the latter
wore a sort of apron behind.
a DANGEROUS COAST.
Visited the s. E. coast of New Guinea. but it
waa so full of shnals at even Ennr or FIVE niles from