New-York tribune., 1884-01-09
CANNIBALS IN NEW-GUINEA.
THE EXPERIENCE OF LEROY STRICKLAND.
TWO OF HIS COMPANIONS KILLED AND THEIR FLESH
EATEN BY sAVAGES.


EATEN BY sAVAGEs.
I'm a dimly lighted room on the third floor Of
sailors boardinghouse in James Slip, Leroy Strck-
land last night told a story of lis adventures in
New-Guinea where three years ago ne enecnnterea %
their hands He is just recovering from mt or
sickness. He arrived in this country a few weeks
ago and vas Immediately prostrated by the expos
ure to which he had been subjected and by the
nnaccustomed severity of sailors llle. he toi9
his story haltngly and in tones that best expressed
the fearful adventure through which he had passed.
al was painter in w-South Wales, Australia"
he said, and rad been doing well for some years.
I had accumulated httl property ana was toera-
bly, contented with my lot. About four years ago
the Temora gold fields were opened in my Province
and the g6ld-fever swept everything. | sold ont
my stock abandoned my BUSINESS and and Win me tRe
crowd TO TemOra. There party Of us staked off
onr claims and worked together for ten months
Went Vent back @ to- to Cookstown, North Queens
land Some time before we got to
Cookstown the Government of Queensland sent a
French surveyorout to New-Guinea in small steamer
in order to prospect the country previous to another
attempt at annexation. He was attack by natives
bat succeeded in killing several and returned to
Cookstown without iniuTv He gave a glowing ac-
count of the country and said that there were gold
pockets all along the coast and mines in the interior
This news was sufficient TO start the spirit OF adj
venture among my companions of TemOTa. and we
agreed to fit out two heavy lfe-b0ats. stock them
with provisions and make our way across 70 New New
Guinea to find gold. 1t was on November ~, 1881,
that ten of us, in two boats started from Cooks
town. We rowed across to Thursday Island, where
we took in quantity OF PROVISIONS onr ana dGts naa
to protect us from the weapons of the
savages. Ii took us day to row from the island to
New-Guinea owing to head winds. We arrived at
the coast near the mouth of the Fly River and
rowed our boats directly into the stream. The
country appeared to us to be deserted and we made
several landings where we found gold in small
quantities. We continued up the river until we
had got, as near as we could reckon, about fifteen
miles INTO the interior. Observing bluff some
distance from the shore rOwed up to the beach
and prepared to land, taking with us our rifles
slung across our backs, and pans for washing the
gold. Six men landed, four remaining 10 care iOr
1--WE had not been on shore for more than half an
hour when party of natives, numbering perhaps
twenty five appeared the bluff and began throw
ing their weapons at us. We unslung our rifles and
drove them back. We walked about half a mile
back from the shores of the river and were congrat-
Mating ourselves on the success of our venture
when heard deafening yells and saw nearly
two hundred bowling savages rushing toward us
at their utmost speed. 1t was too late to make any
defence. We could do nothing but escape with our
lives, at best. Throwing everything of any
we sprang in the direction of the boats,
but not before William Guiteau mad been
killed by a tCdd-Cddi. On way to the shore
George johnson was also killed by boomerang,
and as | was crawling into one of the boats BOOM
erang struck me ON the head ana lost conscious
ness. When once in the boats we were
safe but then saw what terrible fate had be
fallen our dead companions. AS we rOwed away we
saw the cannibals seize the bodies and strip them.
Then they carried them to the top OF the blum and
built fire around which as the flames grew fcrcer
they circled at a maddened pace. They hOwed and
shrieked in eXutation at their victory. and after
they had exhausted themselves they squatted about
the fire and threw companions INTO the flames.
! noticed that the human flesh burned with a blue
flame and the sight such horrible one that
tainted When | recovered saw them tearing the
flesh from the bones and eating it amid the most
discOrdant sounds ever heard, and after they had
finished the fearful repaSt they jumped to their feet
again. As we passed around curve in the river
thev were still slTekng like inc8rnatc tends.
"Besides the men who were killed, Henry Peters
and George Thomas badly wounded with
spears When we arrived at Thursday Island
they were treated AT hospital When we got
back 80 CoOkstown our story etectually prevented
any like adventures. The natives are hardy race,
small in stature and hdeOusly ugly in appearance.
Their weapons are the RaIid .RUlla long spear with
n heavy bowl on one end, which they use as n club:
the tcdda-tCad spear five feet long with moose at
one end inside of which is n spike, which they use
20 catch and spear their enemy and the boomer,
ang which IN their hands il as eflectual as pistol
ball The country is fertile and full of mineral
wealth but the natives are the worst of cannlbals.
They have murdered missionaries and ship crews
that have landed the coast, and the only manner
I'm which the country can be civilized IS by an
initiating the natives. They are not dangerous
near the coast because men-of-war shell the bush
every few weeks but the country Will never cease
to be unsafe until il ceases To be 4 bone of CON
tentiOn between France and New-South Wales"