Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-02-26
Marquesas Man-eaters'

DO the people of Marquesas, really
practice man-eating at the present dayl'
was asked of some late visitors TO that To-
cality. ''Oh, yes, " was the reply; ''it is
still very common amongst them. We
even saw remains of one of their horrible
banquets in the valley of Hanalapa l
think the custom was falling into disuse a
half century ago, but during the past
twenty-five or thirty years the frequent
visits of whalers and traders upon the eislands
have had demoralizing effect upon the
natives. The women have been debauched
and the men let into the secret of distilling
kind OF rum from the cocoa trees. When
intoxicated they commit the most revolving
barbarities, and become embroiled in con-
t1ictS between themselves. While in this
condition they become worse than beasts;
the hereditary man-eating instinct seems to
be revived, and breaks out stronger than
ever. ANY of their number who are killed
in these drunken blo oils are sure to be
eaten. They also eat the bodies OF their
enemies killed in battle, and, if man has
deadly spite against another, he does not
feel that his revenge has been satisfied un-
I'll he has eaten a piece of his heart, stewed
in its own blood. Infractions of any of the
social laws are punishable with death, and
the body Of the culprit, after having been
cut into sections, is distributed in the mar
ket place, that all may eat and be warned
of the terrible punishment that awaits the
law-breaker. In fact, continued Captain
Blenaime, 1.-THE worst punishment that can
betall man at Marquesas is to be killed
and eaten by his fellow islanders" Santa
Dominica is situated in latitude 9 deg. 80
min. south, and longitude 136 dag. and 10
min. east, and together with the other is
lands Of the Marquesas group has nominal
ly been under French dominion since 1841.
The natives are brave, and when they have
reason to believe their rights are being
tampered with are very vindictive. A
number OF sailors and officers of whaling
and merchant ships have been killed by
them at different times since the islands
were discovered. A year ago convoy of
provisions, while en- route between two set
Elements of the French colony, on the is-
land Of Caledonia, was captured, and the
men who were accompanying it, twelve in
number, were taken prisoners. Fearing
for their fate, the Lamothe Piquet, being
In the neighborhood, was dispatched along
the coast to obtain tidings of them. They
effected landing at the point where the
train had been captured, and surprised the
savages while about to feast upon the
bodies Of the Frenchmen. The would-be
banqueters fled at their approach. but were
pursued and fifteen of them killed. The
scene upon the beach, Captain Blenaime
says, where they landed was sickening IN
the extreme. Several large blocks, slmi-
lar to those used by butchers, were stand
ing short distance back from the shore.
These were reeking with blood, and near
them were massed the trunks Of their coun-
trymen, denuded of their heads and limbs,
and their bowels torn open to geS at the
heart, which is esteemed a delicacy
Piled up near by were the skulls, and bones
OF the arms and legs, scraped clean of the
hesh. The flesh from the Inns was cut in
to streaks or roasts, and broiIing and siz-
zling over the Goals of huge fires kindled
Tor the purpose, sending forth a smell that
was fairly sickening The flesh Of the
head, together with the brains, they had
placed in a large kettle taken from the
stove in the train, which was boiling over
the Ere. The provisions, wines, ETC., were
scattered about in the greatest confusion.
One OF the men who accompanied the
French crew recognized among the bodies
by portions Of the clothing still left upon
them, two of his own sons, and such was
the impression made upon his mind that
he never fully recovered from the shock.