West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-02-07
Marquesas Man-oaters.

DO the people of Maruucsas. really
practice man-eating at the present dav2T'
was asked of some late visitors TO that To-
callty "Oh, yes" was the reply; lit is
still very common amongst them. We
even saw remains of one of their horrible
banquets in the valley of Hanalapa
think the custom was falling into disuse n
half century ago, but during the past
twenty-five or thirty years the freuuent
visits OF whalers and traders upon the islands
nave had demoraliZing effect upon the
natives. The women have been debauched
ana the men let into the secret of distillinp
KIND oI rum from the cocoa trees. When
intoxicated they commit the most revolving
oarDarltles, and become embroiled i'm con
nlcls between themselves. While i'm this
ConcliOn they become worse than beasts.
the hereditary man-eating instinct seems TO
DC revived, and breaks out stronger than
ever Any OF their number who are killed
In these drunken h 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
leeI that MS revenge has been satisfied nm
III ne mas eaten piece of his neart, stewed
In It's own blood. Infractions of any of the
social laws are punishable with death. and
the Dooy OF the cuIprit, after having been
cat INTO sections, is distributed in Tie mar
ket place, that all may eat and be warned
oi the terrible punishment that awaits the
law breaker. In fact, a." Continued Csntain
blenaime, ''the worst punishment that can
oeIdl man at Aarquesas is TO be killed
and eaten by his fellow islanders" santa
dominica - situated in latitude y deg 20
min. south, and longitude 1913 deg. and 40
MN. east, and together with the other il
lhnds OF the Aarquesas group has nominal
~ been under French dominion since tS41
Inc natives are brave, and when they have
reason 70 believe their rights are heinz
tempered with are very vindictive
number Of sailors and officers of ,rL.,lino,
and merchant ships have been killed bv
thcm at different times since the islands
were discovered. A year ago a convoy Of
provisions, while en- route between two cot
Elements Of Tic French colony. ON tne H.
iand 81 Caledonia. was captured. and tho
men who were accompanying IT,. twelve i'm
number. were taken prisoner Fearing
iOr thcir Tate, the Lamothc PiCug. being
IN the nelghbUhOOd. vas dispatched alone
the coast 70 obtain tldings Of them. Tbcv
erected landing nj the point where tb,
traln had been captured ~,rd -lrprised tn,
savages while about TO feast tpon t,,
bodies Of tho Frenchmen. The vould.Lo
Dan4ueters fed at their approach but were
pursued and fifteen Of them killed. The
Scene upon the beach, Captain Blenairoe
says. where they landed was sickcniDg nm
the extreme. Several large blocks siri.
lar 70 those used by butchers were stand
lug snort distance back from the sboro
} hcse were reeking With blood. and near
them were masscd the trunks Of their conn.
uymen, dcnuded o. their heads and limbs
ana Their bowels torn open 90 pc, af tho
heart which i5 esteemed dn'icacy
flicd up near by were Gie skulls. and BOMBS
OF the arms and legs, scraped clean Of ibe
He5h. DE fcsh from the inns was cut ip.
- sireaks 90 rOasts and br0.ing and ~
zhng over The Goals Of huge Hre4 kindled
LOT tne purpose, sending forth smell ihef
was laidY sicHeuiDg Tie areb Of tba
h,ad, together with tne brains. tbcv had
Pacea in large kettle taken from tho
sloVe DO thc Train, which was boiling over
INC 're The provisions wines etc. vat,
scattered about In the greatest confusion
Dne OF the men who ACCOMPANIED tho
French crew rng9guized among Inc bodice
Dy portions Of the clothing BU Ior uuo1
them, two of bus own SONS, and .ucg was
tne imprn Ion made upon bis mind fbai
DC never fully recovered from the shock