Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-26
THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS.

down on the English sailing charts OF
few years ago as 1.-The Big and Little Can
nibals,'' with q note of warning that all
boats sent on shore should be armed, as
the natives are treacherous lot and eat
human flesh.
In the year 1875 took first mates
berth out of San Francisco on the brig
Harry Lee, she having been sold to parties
in Honolulu, and the owners having en-
gagged to deliver her there. We had no
trouble in shipping good crew, and bet
ter weather l never saw until we were
within two days. run of our port. Then
we got a gale which dismasted us and
swept two men overheard; and when we
finally brought up it was under the lee OF
the Big Cannibal, in a sheltered bay, with
masts and sails gone, bulwarks nearly all
swept away, bowsprit broken off, and the
brig leaking so that we had to take long
snells at the pump to keep her afloat.
We had not been able to secure an obser-
walton for three days, and, although quite
certain that we had fallen in with one Of
the Sandwich group, none of us had ever
seen this particular island before. But
for the help of a very powerful current
which caught the brig as she was being
hurled upon the weather side of the island
not a man of us would have lived to tell
the story. This current ran us along the
shore and whirled US into a bay On the lee
side, where our anchors found good hold
ing ground and brought us up in safety.
1t was two days before the storm blew
itself out and the sea went down. We
la~ within half mile of the shore, and
had seen people on the beach every hour
in the day. At night they had built fires
opposite our berth, as If to say that they
were our friends and to encourage US to
be of stout heart. From this ciTcum-
stance our captain argued that we had
not been driven to the west as far as at
first supposed, and that we had at least
two islands between us and Big CannibaL
When the sea had gone down sufficient to
warrant us in lowering a boat l was
ordered to take the yawl and four men
and pull for the beach and ascertain our
whereabouts. The weather had con-
t.nued dark and cloudy and no observa-
ton could be taken. / went away in the
boat without the slightest misgivings,
and without O 1rearm Of any description.
We had settled it that there was nothing
to fear, and / anticipated no trouble in
engaging a native craft to run for some
of the island ports and secure us the ser
vices of steam craft.
Almost opposite where the hull of the
brig lay pitching at her anchor was the
mouth of a creek, and, although there
was bar and the surf was rolling pretty
bigh. we entered the creek without acct
dent. Just as we were going over the
bar il struck me as curious that none OF
the natives had been out to visit us. 1t
wouldn't have been anything extra OF
swim for native, while their little crafts
- Oh ~N1l
of war rails under. 1t was now 10 o'clock
I'm the forenoon, and | remembered that
we had not seen a native on the beach
since soon after daylight. There was
no one in sight now, and we ran
up the creek about cables length
ard grounded There were two native
boats there, but not person in sight. I
reasoned that village must be close at
hand, and, leaving two of the men TO care
for the boat, took two others with me
and set out to follow a broad and well
beaten path, which ] believed led to the
village. In this ! was correct. We had
not gone above half a mile when we came
TO the village We had scarcely caught
sight of the first huts when we were our
selves discovered, and three minutes later
were surrounded by 100 dusky people. 1
anticipated friendly welcome, and was
good deal put out at our reception. Most
of the people were old men, women and
children. There were not above five or
six middle aged men. A circle was at
once formed about US, and as soon as they
saw that we were not armed we We're
seized, flung down and tied hand and
foot / had served with kanakas aboard
of whalers and knew the dialect of the
islanders pretty we'll 1t was therefore
with horror that / soon learned we were
on Big Cannibal island, and that the ma
tives were greatly rejoiced at the prospect
of the feast before them. attempted to
say something, but the noise of their
shouts drowned my words, and each Of
US was hustled of by himself 10 differ
ent hut.
was taken in hand by two stout fel-
lows, and when thrust into an empty hut
l turned on them and asked for an ex-
PLANTATION. They were dumfounded to
hear me using the dialect, and ut once ex-
hibited more friendly demeanor. They
had expected the brig to drive ashore, and
when she did not they feared she had too
large a crewfor them 10 attack They
wanted TO know where she was from, how
many men she had aboard and what her
captain proposed doing. told them my
object in coming ashore, but they at once
gave me to understand they would do
nothing. 1t would be far better for them
IL the brig was to drive ashore. l offered
as high as $500 in gold if they would get
word of our condition TO some civilized
port, but the fellows were immovable.
They were a set Of outlaws. and held no
intercourse except with the smaller island.
A ship touched at the islands now and
hn-, for efol l,,rf ha
tives kept out of sight and would do no
trading with the sailors. When asked
after the rest of the villagers they replied
that upward of forty men were at the
smaller island, where wreck had driven
ashore about two weeks before, but were
expected home next dsy.,a 7scr..ca d. ~ Ell.
Sand what do you propose 10 do With,
uss,' finally inquired. ~ so5.s -.....a.
Roast and est you, = was the curt rels 1
ply, as they fastened the door and lstS ne
alone. -----5--------
1t seemed more than likely. Why they
had not gone to the creek 10 attack and
Capture the sailors and the yawl i couls
not understand, but it seemed that our
coming among them rather surprised and
they formed party of twenty Of the best
ulSil anu SET OH tOF Inc CIScA> sllu III ustAl
IN hour this party returned shouting and
singing. The sailors had suspected
nothing and were easily captured. One
Of them was put into the hut with me,
and he told me they supposed they were
being invited TO feast of some sort, and
that the natives had my permission to
bring them 10 the village.
Ts Ia honest with the rsadar did not