Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-01-07
LIFE AMONG CANNIRALS.

Interesting Story of John 3 Rem.
ton, the beuth Sea Island Pris-
Oner.
Toronto Glsbe
SIR-In looking over your paper yes.
terday, among other news saw your &C.
count of "Renton," the South Sea Is.
land prisoner, and as | am native of
Orkney, and personally know the father
Of the said Renton, merchant tailor, in
the town Of Stromness, and having the
other day received from Orkney copy
Of Rentons first letter to his parents
after his release, send YOU copy
thereof for publication in the Globe, know
ing that it Will be read with interest by
many Of your readers, and may perhaps
reach the eyes Of the relatives of Rem
tons four comrades who lost their lives
on the Island. JOHN EssoN
Bayfield,, December %, 1875.
The following is a copy, except what
relates to family matters:
BowES, QUEENSLAND. Sept. I. 1876.
DEAR FATHER AND MorHER-Hopiug
you are still alive and WELL | take this,
my 6rst chance of writing to you that 1
have had for these last eight years. You
must be glad TO know by this that / am
still living. and in the best OF health
after living eight years on an uncivilized
island in the South Seas, having had
many narrow escapes from death BY sick
ness as we'll as from getting killed by the
natives. ] think the last letter you had
from me was dated at San Francisco l
did not 20 in the Pacific, as l wrote you,
but went in an american ship called the
Reynard Of Boston. Sailed from San
Francisco for McKean's Island, to take a
cargo of guSno for Georgia. When at
McKesn's Island, |, along with four Of
the ships crew, took whslebost belong
ing to the island and ran away from the
ship, as she was very leaky, deep loRded
and had a very bad crew to round
Cape Horn with in winter. We
had an old Baltimore sailor who had
been among the islands before. He ad-
vised us 10 run away with him, saying it
would only take day or two to reach
the island--we inteuded going to where
there were plenty OK vessels calling
We missed this island, and our etock Of
provisions soon got finished. Altar
twenty days we had nothing to eat or
drink for four or FIVE days, and that, too
under very hot sun. Rain came at
last-when by spreading our sails we got
our two casks 6lled. Killed 0 shark with
harpoon we had brought with qs, made
Ere in the boat and cooked it the best
way we could. After being thirty five
days in our open boat we we're picked up
by the. natives, trading in their canoes TO
some other part OF the island. Taking
away everything we had they left FIVE Of
the natives with us, who brought us to
their village. Two or three hundred of
them gathered together, pOyer having
seen white man before. Some ef hem
wanted to kill US. Next day they sepaFa
ted us 10 different villages, some twenty
miles apart. | lived with the strongest
chief ON the Island, Esaea Cahongh
He liked me very much and did net gsnt
to let me 20 away. / soon learned their
language and ways, and went about
stark naked. They do not wear the
least Bit Of clothing; never 20 anywhere
without their spears, tomahawks and
bows and arrows, every day fighting, one
tribe against another, cutting off each
Others heads for ornamenting their huts.
/ had to 80 with them sometimes, aud
saw dreadful sights. ] was very handy
at making their canoes and nets, plant
ing yams, cutting down trees, etc. |
never got down,heRrted. Ny old com
panions soon died, ! understood, and
the natives told me that one OF them bad
been killed By the tribe he stopped with.
| never saw any Of them after onr sepa.
ration. -Four years ago some slavers
came along our coast. The natives 90
ing of in their canoes TO trade, the
slavers shot some of them, sank their
canoes, and, putting out their boats,
picked up the natives who were in the
water and carried them of as slaves
This made the natives quito savage, and
! being the only white man on the Island
they offered many prizes TO the chief foE
me, that they might kill and eat me. They
all agreed to this except my chief, but be
liked me too much to allow it. Six
monsha alter this they captured two yes
sells and killed the crews This was Of
the other end Of TIE island, which is
about one hundred miles long aud
named MelBtts, ene Of the Solomon
group, abott eieysp hundred miles from
the island we had lefta-IRther long dis
tance to comein an open boat, with only
box Of biscuit, four hams, two smSll
kegs Of water, tobacco, matches, etc.
On Sunday, 9Th August Of this year, !
was taken OF the island by the crew Of
this vessel, who we're well armed, in
their two boats. On coming ashore the
natives we're afraid TO come too near in
case they might get shot; but Captain
Murray made them presents OF pipes,
tobacco. calico. etc, and the next day
they let me SO away. TIE day after The
vessel sailed We stood back again, when