The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-04
A Cannihal Girl in Maine

MIR. EDIToR:-During recent visit to Mil
bridge spent very pleasant evening with
Capt. Means and family. Capt
Means is gentleman about SO years
of age. In appearance he is tall and
we'll proportioned, with iron. gray hair and
beard, high intellectual forehead and well
chiseled features. He is one Of large class
of sea captains of eastern Maine who by great
| industry, indomitable perseverance, and
shrewd management has accumulated suit
able competence, and now in the evening OF
life retires to enjoy the fruits of life OF in
dustry and thrift.
In his family is the young "CannibaP' OF
whom the papers have spoken so much re-
Gently. She was placed upon Capt. Means
ship about two years since in the South Pacific
by a Spanish captain, who bought her from
her mother for $S. The Spaniard said that
her mother told him that he was at liberty
either to eat her or hold her as slave. Being
a charitable man, and struck with her intelli-
gent appearance he concluded in his own
words ''to take her out of her misery" and
bought her. 1t appears she is native of one
of the small islands in the South Pacific op-
posite the southern coast of South Anne RIGA
which are inhabited by cannibals. The tribes
of the different isla nds frequently war with
each other, and prisoners taken are either
killed and eaten or held as slaves "Siada,"
this being the name of the young girl, tells
that her mother has large piece bitten out of
her left arm. She was at one time captured
by a neighboring tribe, and mouthful taken
from her arm to test the sweetness of her
flesh. Evidently the old lady's flesh was too
tough even for a cannibal. Siada is now
about twelve: years of age, tall for her years,
with an almost perfect form. Her complexion
is olive, with features as finely cut as those of
Caucasian. Her countenance which ex-
hibits considerable intelligence is lighted by
large luminous grey eyes, and shaded by hair
which is dark, coarse and straight as that of
an Indian. When she smiles she exh ibits a
point almost directly outward. With the ex-
ception of her teeth, there is nothing parti-
cularly noticeable in her appearance. During
the two years she has been in Capt. Means
family she has learned how to read and write
and now speaks the English language,
tongue almost entirely. AT first she was very
timid, thinking she was to be sold to every
person who visited the family. Upon the APP
pearance of a sewing machine agent at one
time she imagined that she was to be ex-
changed for machine, and hid herself. Nor
place for long time. But these fears, the
natural result of youth spent among bar
barians and cannibals, are gradually disap-
pearing, and she now appears like one born
and reared in Christian community. Mr.. A.
w. Longfellow of the United States coast sur
vey, who is residing with Capt Means while
engaged in surveying the coast in the vicinity
OF Millbridge, told me that Siada exhibits in
remarkable degree the virtues of aiChristian.
She is generous to fault, and displays great
affection and kindness of heart whenever any
member of Capt. Means family is ill.
had occasion to observe her during the
services in the Congregational church in
Millbridge, and could but notice with what
commendable proprlety she conducted herself.
Indeed, her behavior was in striking contrast
with that of a number of misses of more adj
vanced age.
Capt. Means is in daily receipt of letters
from all parts of the country relative to the
young barbarian, many of them being from
sshowmen Offering to pay large prices for the
privilege of exhibiting her. But he proposes
|, to keep her in his family, and give her the
benefit OF good Christian education. L.