The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-02-04
The Island Labor Traffic.

The Fii Times publishes the following account
of the cruise of the Jessie Kelly, which gives
some insight into the peculiarities Of the island
labor trade and the difficulties of procuring la
| bOrers.
The Jessie Kelly left Leguka on the 9th july
last. licensed to recruit labor fer FIJI in the New
Hebrides and Solomon groups. Experienced light
winds until we reached Murderer's Bay, or Bat
Napnee, on the lee coast of Pentecost, on the 10Th.
Found it hard to communicate with the natives,
but when they found out we were FIiians we had
less trouble. Remained here at anchor until the
Doth, and got in the interval IA men and boys, a
nice lot. Found the natives quiet enough, not
withstandiDg their bad reputation hereabOuts,
and they constantly came off to the vessel in their
miserable canoes. On the Odd off the lee coast o
Oba. Anchored at Walu-riki. Found the Aurora
| and Idaho from NOumea, and the Mavis, from
Fiji also at anchor there before us. Under these
| circumstances the recruiting was not successful
Six boats pulling about in pairs does not tend to
get men. Natives did not even care to sell yams,
and few came near US.
From Goth to 18th on lee of Pentecost got one
man. At Bushman's Bay saw two men from
S%tanley's plantation recently landed they com
plain sadly OF a NOumean vessel taking men away
~forcibly, and giving no ''yaqnna' to the mems
friends.
| think they worship their ancestors here.
Every post in their large temples is carved to re-
present nude human figures, intended to represent
their dead chiefs. These are the presiding deities,
whose heads are kept for generations in the bodies
of large timber fish, representing the shark and
swordfsh, stuck on posts all over the interior.
No women or children dare pass these temples on
pain of death. Remained on this coast until
l4th August, and got IN that time 10 men, at the
rate of two or three a day. The natives were
more civil on this island than on any other in the
Solomons. lis an odd thing that there are no
cookies on this island, while all the rest, some
only 40 miles off, arc full of them. What can
account for it? Met many old FijIans, they are
much more civil and obliginS than returned
Queenslanders.
On the 5th off Mala, or Malaysia. They use the
bow and arrow as well as the spear on this coast.
and are rogueish and cheeky. Don't care to re-
cruit want to see their friends back first. Many
left this lee coast three years ago, and are ex-
pected back daily. Got into Gains here and only
recruited three men, two from canoes.
On the 18th anchored at Aliti Bay. Cheeky
rogues getting a man only occasionally. Saw "A
man here with only a hole for a mouth and two
little pigs eves-a bideCus object-and yet he
pounds up be,el nut and lime and pops it into the
hole. The natives are continually eating this
betel nut and lime with a peppery leaf. They
say it keeps away fever and ague. and if without
food for q day or so, iJ keeps up their strength.
We have joined in a native betel spree. 1t makes
you tight for ten minutes or so after eating it
you stagger, aud everything seems to swim
round, but it is a curious thing that a drink of
water at once takes of the effect. You also break
out into a perspiration "a hint for the doctors)
after eating it.
On the 18th anchored at Ku Bay got seven
men and left for Coleridge Bay. Here we found
the Nuifo, Captain Hoyer. with Captain Proctor
on board. Had recruited 80 IabJrers, having
been to Duke of York, New Ireland and New
Britain and had got men at each lsland-a fine,
set of powerful fellows, but as black az backing
The vessel had also some BOugainvilIe or RubIana
peOple. Mr.. Proctor said ne recruited them as
fast as he could give each OF them a knife and
tomahawk over the side. Fully 200 canoes were
round him and as many more coming, SO he
thought it best to clear out.
On 2Sth off NE. coast of the island OF Isabel or
eau. as it is called by the natives. Remained
on this coast until the Sd Of September and got
ten meo. The principal people here wear wigs on
state occasions. Some old traders in the Solomon
tell ue it is the badge Of a secret society, a sort of
Masonic order. Certain 1T Is that boys Of 20 wear
these wigs as well as older persons the women
do not wear them. We saw a hut here with a
heap of fresh human bones in one corner and a
lot of blood on the other. The people had
evidently been surprised, and the usaal result fol-
lowed, viz, a feast!
On the 18th off Savo. on the lee coast of Guadal-
canar, and recruited hard along this side of the
island until the 18th result two men. Nearly
every one is a returned labor immigrant. Even
the women and children say GOOD morning y in
English. Natives are afraid to go in the bush
and get recruits, as they do liz New Hebrides' !