Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-04-30

Where the Natives Bake Missionaries
and Otherwise Act the Savage.
San Francisco Chronicle.

and Otherwise Act the Savage.
San Francisco Chronicle.
A. Van Camp, late United States
consul to the Feejee islands, who ar
rived on Tuesday on the City of Sgd
ney, was interviewed, last night, by a
Chronicle reporter on the political.
business and social condition of the
islands and their inhabitants. "You
will be astonished," said Mr.. Van
Camp, "when I tell you that there
are 220 islands in the group. some of
which are very large. VIII Levu Big
Island, has an area of 4. ZOO square
miles, aHd through a portion of it
flows the river Rivi, which extends
from the seacoast $50 miles into the
interior an6 upon both sides of which
lie magnificent fields, suitable for
sugar plantations. Wanna Levu is
the next largest island, and the third
Of the group is Tavinni. which is in
deed 8 beautiful place. On this island
tea and sugar are raised. [ have some
of the tea with nae, and the connois-
seurs who have inspected it say that
IN their judgment it is better than any
other ever produced. There are about
1, 200 whites on the islands, whose
principal residence was formerly the
town Of L9vuka, on the island of
Ovalau. The missionary societies,
however, had possession of most of
the valuable land on this island and
refused to sell any of it to Sir Arthur
Gordon, the first governor of the
group, and SO he removed the seat Of
government, which up to that time
had been at Levuka to Suva, on Viii
Levu, about sixty miles from Layuka.
Suva now has population OF about
500 whites and Levuka Of about 400.
The foreign population is mostly
English, but few Americans having
settled there. The native population
is about 125, O00."
what is the condition of the na
tives?"
AT present the natives are slaves,
both body and soul, to their chiefs.
who, IN the order Of their rank, are
called luis, Ratua and Rokos. These
chiefs control all the people with a
rod OF iron, and the British govern
ment, which virtually owns the
islands. encourages the chiefs in keep
ing the natives in subjection. Why,
the common people are not allowed
by the chiefs to go from one town to
another, being kept at home at work.
Neither can they own any land. all
except that held by the foreigners be
ing held by chiefs. Whea old King
ISakambau ceded the islands to Great
Britain it was agreed that he was to
receive pension of 93,G0O year, his
first son, Ratio Abu, pension Of
94, 900 a year, and his second son 91,-
200 a year to make up these amounts.
They pay their tax ia labor or pro
duce. There are 10000 able bodied
natives on Wit Levu who would work
well if only treated properly"
Are the natives Chrlstians?"
We'll. If they are. they are pretty
hard Christians" replied Mr.. Van
Camp. "Up to ten or twelve years
ago they were the greatest cannibals
in.the world. Twelve years ago they
ate missionary named Baker.
have his skull and bones in that box
over there. I bought thena up as
curious. They would be cannibals
again tomorrow, too, if tEey had an
opportunity. Even now you cannot
go into the interior with safety. The
government even forbids people to 90
into the mountains for fear they will
get baked or eaten. The natives
could undoubtedly be ruled much
better, and they will have to be, or
they will rise on the chiefs as they
did before and cook them. The ma
tives are such slaves that they are
compelled to PROSTATE themselves on
the appearance of a chief. 1 have
seen 500 people throw themselves on
the ground at the appearance of old
Sakambau and remain prone until he
had passed. All the clothes the ma
tIves wear is a loin cloth, and the
government encourages the chiefs in
not introducing civilized clothing.
Tie women, though have some mod
sty, as is shown by the fact that only
recently eight Of them were senten-
ced by the Roko, for some offence to
go nude for four months. There is
very little education among the mass
es, but the missionaries, have estab-
lished a few schools for children
The Wesleyan missionaries are not
very successful in making converts
but they have succeeded in getting
rich. Their principal missionary,
Mr.. Langham, oWDs nearly all Lev
uka."
Condensed Dispatches.
The stage from Vulture to Phoenix.