The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-01-24
Cannibals in San Francisco.


The French gunboat Lamothe Piquet
was towed alongside the Spear street
wharf few days ago, and will 60 into
Cozzens' dry dock for repairs. Among
the crew of the Lamothe Piquet are
three men who, from their peculiar
facial appearance, attract the attention
of all observers. They are finely
formed, of large stature, with regular
features and full, soft, expressive eyes;
but their faces are, according to civil
lied taste, disfgured by tattooing.
They are natives of the Marquesas
Islands, and, learning that their history
might prove of interest to the public, a
Call reporter went on board the La
mothe Piquet, and, through the cour-
tesy of the commander, Captain Bien-
Anne, gathered some particulars of
their anteeedents. These men, who
are so tractable and obedient to their
duties on shipboard, are veritable can
nibals, and only few months ago were
in the habit of dining upon the flesh of
their own species. In pursuance of an
order from their commander, the three
man-eaters were summoned upon the
quarterback, for the purpose of being
inspected by the reporter.
The eldest is called Manowa, the next
in age Hoa. and the younger Puato,
which signifies in the Marguesan tongue
son of man who was killed by three
shots. Puato appeared to be most
volubly inclined, and to him were the
reportorial inquiries mostly directed.
They have acquired quite smattering
of the French language, so that they
can reply to the most simple questions
propounded in that tongue. "Are you
not cold, PuatoP" was the first in
quiry, as in obedience to the Captain,
he opened his shirt and displayed a
hieroglyphical mass of tattooing
on his muscular chest. "Ugh, yes, me
very cold,' chartered the poor fellow.
&c Puato, do you like to eat menp' The
large eyes dropped to the deck, almost
a blush started to the surface of the
swarthy cheek, not covered by tattoo,
as he rejoined: Captain say bad eat
man." Any one but G newspaper re-
porter would have hesitated to pursue
a subject further which evidently was
distasteful to the savage in his present
position, but the desire to learn more
was too strong to be resisted. "Puato,
did you ever eat babyP" The great
eyes dropped again, and then looking
up into the reporters face with half
scared, half-quizzical expression, he
replied: g Me no eat baby. Manowa
he like baby" Manowa only replied
to the assertion by genuine savage
glance at Puato, and the sententious
answer, in tolerably good French,
i" Sacre enfant." This untimely attack
upon the humanitarian instincts of
Manowa had the effect of making that
individual decidedly shy of reportorial
advances, and the interview was soon
afterward brought to a close. While
seated in the cabin of the Lamothe
Piquet. some interesting particulars
were obtained in the course of con-
versation with Captain Bienaime of
the natives or the Marquesas, and the
causes which led to the presence on
board of the natives just referred to. In
July last intelligence was received at
Tahiti, where the Lamothe Piquet was
then, that a Swede had been killed on
the Island of La Dominica, one of the
Marquesas group, by the natives. The
vessel Immediately got under way, and
on the 10th of August came in sight of
the island. On the morning of the
11th landing was effected and the
French force took up position in the
Valley of Hanalapa, where they were
soon after attacked by large body of
natives. The natives were armed with
muskets and fought desperately; but
after while retreated, leaving several
of their number dead upon the field.
They were pursued, and among those
captured were the three men now on
board the Lamothe Piquet.
''Do these people, then, really prac-
tice cannibalism at the present day?"
asked the reporter.
so, yes" was his reply; "it is still
very common among them. We even
saw remains of one of their horrible
banquets in the Valley of Hanalapa. 1
think the custom was falling into dis
use half century ago, but during
the past twenty-five or thirty years the
frequent visits of whalers and traders
upon the islands have had democrat
izing effect upon the natives. The
women have been debauched and the
men let into the secret of distilling
kind of rum from the cocoa tree. When
Intoxicated they commit the most re-
voting barbarities, and become en-
broiled in conflicts between themselves.
While in this condition they become
worse than beasts; the hereditary man.
eating instinct appears to be revived,
and breaks out stronger than ever.
Any of their number who are killed in
these drunken broils are sure to be eat
en-. 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 until he has eaten piece of
his heart stewed in its own blood. In
fractions 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 warn
ed of the terrible punishment that
awaits the law breaker. In fact" con-
tinued Captain Bienaime, "the worst
punishment that can befall man in
the Marquesas is to be killed and eaten
by his fellow islanders"
Santa Dominica is situated in latitude