San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-01-19
THE CANNIBAL ISLANDS.

names, The EnRliSn SallOrS cull tneiii
"The Twins" the American sailor calls
them "Punch and judy" They are
] iown OH the English sailing charts OF a
few years ago as "The Big and Little Cam
nibals," with a 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 I took n 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
fer weather i 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 sheltered bay, with
, masts and sails gone, bulwarks nearly all
swept away, bowsprit broken of, and the
brig leaking SO that we had to take long
spells at the pump to keep her afioat.
we had nos been able to secure Al obser-
vation 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 u very powerful current
which caught the brig as she was being
hurled upon the weather side of the island
not man of us would have lived to tell
the story This current ran us along the
shore and whirled us into II bay on the lee
side, where our anchors found good I Id
ing ground and brought us up In safely.
/ 1t was two days before the storm blew
itself out and the sen went down. We
law within half a 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 IL to say that they
were our friends and to encourage lis to
he of stout heart. From this circum-
stance our captain argued that we had
not been driven to the west as far ms 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 / was
ordered to take the yawl and four men
and pull for the beach and ascertain our
whereabouts. The weather had con-
Nnued dark and cloudy and no observa-
Mon could be taken. went away In the
boat without the slightest misgivings,
und without q flrearm of any description.
we had settled it that there was nothing
10 fear. and l anticipated no trouble in
u
Of the island ports and secure us the ser
vices of steam craft.
Almost opposite where the hull Of the
brig lay pitching ut her anchor was the
mouth of creek, and, although there
was a bar and the surf was rolling pretty
hiph. we entered the creek without acci-
dent. Just as we were going over the
l,ar ii 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
will live n a sen which would roll a man
of war rails under. 1t was now 10 O'Clock
in the forenoon, and remembered that
we had not seen q native on the beach
since soon after daylight. There was
no one in sight now, and we ran
up the creek about cables length
and grounded There were two native
boats there, but not @ person in sight.
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 broad and well
beaten path, which believed led to the
: village. In this 1 was correct. We had
not zone above half 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
anticipated d 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 were
seized. flung down and tied hand and
xxyif kaa nh ri
of whalers and knew the dialect Of the
islanders pretty well. 1t was therefore
with horror that 1 soon learned we were
on Big Cannibal island, and that the ma
tiyes 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 TO differ
ent hut.
/ was taken in hand by two stout fel-
lows, snd when thrust into an empty hut
turned ON them and asked for an ex-
| planntion. They were dumfounded to
| hear me using the dialect, and at once eX-
! hibited more friendly demcanor. They
had expected the brig 10 drive ashore, and
when she did not they feared she had too
large a crew for them 10 attack. They
wanted to know where she was from, how
mnny 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. 1 offered
MS high as $500 I'm gold IL 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
then for water or vegetables, but the ma
tives kept out Of sight and would do no
Trading with the sailors. When / asked
after the rest Of the villagers they replied
tl,at upward Of forty men were at the
slualler island, where a wreck had driven
ashore about two weeks before, but were
expected home next day.
"And what do you propose to do with
us,'' finally inquired
Roast and eat you" was the curt re-
ply, as they fastened the door and left me
alone.
IL seemed more than likely. Why they
had not gone 70 the creek 20 attack and
capture the sailors and the yhwl / could
not understand, but it seemed that OUT
coming amVEg them rather surprised ans
ratified them. whea they had secured us
they formed n party of twenty q the best
men and set OF for the creek. and IN half
an hour tbs party returned shouting and
singing The sailors he'd suspected
nothing and were easily capture,L One
q them was put into the hut with me.
and be told me they supposed they were
beng intiiei ~ ftast q some sort. sd
thaf ihe natives had ny peruissiOl 20
bring item % the VILLAGE.
To be houosf with the reaier. di u0l
think thee ISLANDERS were eaters q
kurr.rr rfsh I lad hes-I f1l1 - ~
-. - - - a. 49, - =