The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-05-13
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South Pacific Sayagcs.

leSuidi NtJ'
South Pacific SaYagcs.
The inhabitants Of the far South Pa.
ci6c coast islands are in many respects
strange human beings, and not the least
singular fact in connection with them is
their manner and custom of life, both in
the domestic circle and when battling
with other tribes. Some 5000 miles
from this city is the Marshall group of
Islands, the inhabitants of which are
conspicuous for their warlike propensi-
ties, great size, and gigantic strength,
together with other traits of strongly
original character, and regarding whom
little or nothing is known in the civilized
world. A few days ago the three-masted
schooner John Hancock returned from q
trading cruise to the Gibe and Marshall
groups and the master of the vessel,
Captain William Chapman, secured
valuable collection of curiosities in the
shape of war clubs, spears, boat paddles,
shells, etc. With Captain Chapman, as
a passenger, was young man, S. F.
Gray, connected with the house of A.
Crawford & Co., of this city, who, during
his visit to the islands, gained much in.
teresting information concerning the
islands and their inhabitants.
The natives are large and powerful.
They are not unlike the New Zealanders,
being of dark, copper-colored complex
ion. In addition to natural inclination
for warfare, they are very treacherous,
and in some portions of the group are
cannibals. Their main occupation is
like that of the Indian, loafng and
picking cocoanuts, which are prepared
and shipped to this country with consid-
erable profit. When not engaged in
harvesting the cocoanut crop or loahng
about on the ocean in dug out canoe,
the Marsha islander puts in his time
carving grotesque figures on canoe pad
dies and in whiting out murderous'
looking war clubs, spears, arrows and
other similar weapons. In carving they
display great ingenuity, and while the
figures as shown on the paddles are not
exactly pretty, they are very intricate,
and are not unlike similar work done in
China. The figures on the paddle rep
resented idols, and according to the
islanders belief, if upon his boat paddle
there is carved a figure Of all idol be can
safely navigate anywhere. In this con-
ncction it may be we'll to state that these
islanders are the boldest and most skill
full canoe nayigators in the Pacific. They
make voyages extending over many
months, trusting to Providence, or rather
rain, to supply them with fresh water.
They navigate by means of chart COM
posed of small sticks tied together and
representing the position of the various
islands as regards the point of departure.
In warfare their weapons consist OF
clubs, spears and arrows, all of which
they use with the greatest skill and accu-
racy. The clubs are made of ironwood,
and are very heavy. They are of various
shapes, the most murderous being The
enarled root of the ironwood tree. The
other clubs are of lighter character
The arrows are made of light bamboo,
the points being of ironwood. The
spears are also made out Of the same
kind of timber and run down to fine
point, which is tipped with a poisonous
preparation. The feather end is fantas-
tic and gaudy, a regular bouquet of feath'
ers plucked from the rarcst birds being
used and blended together with strict
regard for colors.
The islanders, particularly in the vicin'
ity of New Ireland, have no particular
love for the whites, and it is not an in.
frequent occurrence to find some settler
lying in front of his door dead. 1t is the
work of some native, who, having be-
como offended at the white man, has lain
in wait and killed him.
As q race they are very prolific, aud
it is not an uncommon thing, so Mr.
Gray states, to see from fifteen to twenty
children in each house, the offspring ol
one woman. The natives do not tolerate
polygamy, and after marriage the women
are famous for their fidelity. A sort of q
slave traffic exists throughout the islands,
though, any single women can be pur'
chased for servants and concubines for
mere triAe. Clothing is thing un-
known in most of the islands. In and
about New Britain and Ireland, however,
the brccch cloth is uscd.-San francisco
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