Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-29
Daily eagle
AMONG THE SAVAGES.
HOW BOYS" ARE OBTAINED TO
WORK ON SUGAR PLANTATIONS.
Scenes a "Labor Ship'-The Manner
I'm Which a Glib Interpreter Captures
Heather Workers by the Promise Of
Big Pay.


and the Hawaiian Islands and in Queensland,
that, it being known that the natives of the
New Heorides were willing to 'shipn on
plantations for term of years for merely
nominal wages, ''labor vessels visit toe
group annually to engage men and q few
women for that work The manner in which
this is done we'll illustrates the dIstrust the
natives and foreigners have for each other.
Labor vessels are always provided with
regular arsenal of rifles and pistols. The
main hold is fitted with gratings that separ-
ATE the females from the men-or boys as
they are called-and in these compartments
are fixed certain sleeping platforms called
''bunks." The vessels engaged in this trade
are generally small, seldom exceeding $50
tons measurement, and they carry their
boats as the whalemen do, hanging from the
davits, ready for immediate service.
The captain Of an English labor vessel
sails her to and from certain designated
ports, and cruises about where there is the
best chance of getting boys" but no boat
can go recruiting" unless the government
agent goes with it No hoy" can, theoreti-
cally, be brought off to the ship against his
will
There is generally on labor vessel an 'in-
the writer sailed on Hawaiian labor vessel,
was called Billy the Devil, which title suf-
Gcently indicates his character
Surprising a vessel after 'boys" to have ar
rived in Havana harbor, the finest in the
group, on the Island of Vate; the captain
generally engages ct least one boats crew of
the natives themselves, on the principle, per-
haps, that it takes savage TO catch a saw
f,ara olv.,p.- haiy t.la ban yvhn
are experienced in the business.
Leaving Havana harbor the vessel cruises
leisurely of through the groups, never being
more than two or three miles from one
island or another. Cruising along Oh the lee
side of these islands a sharp lookout is kept
for any signs of smoke" on the stretches
OF sandy beach. So dense is tho foliage and
SC careful are the natives to conceal their
villages that the only indications Of there
being human life on these islands is a col I'M
OF smoke Tat we occasionally see on the
shore sent up by the savages to let us know
that they want to "trade."
When such smoke is seen the boats are
lowered and manned THE boats" say be-
cause two ere always sent il, company to in
terview the savages. In the one that takes
the lead there is, besides the crew, the inter
There is also box filled with trade" that
is, Turkey red muslin, gaudy and flimsy
as the promises made TO induce the natives to
ship; tobacco, Of the kind known as ''nigger
head" (tventy-six plugs to the pound
sweet cheap and rotten gun caps Of an OBJ
solete make; cheap pipes; strings of gay
beads, q few of which constitute what is
called '+full dress" packages of matches,
IL, -.
where else by friction: soft iron hatchets
knives and needles, and other ingenious
frauds with which to purchase such supplies
as vans, pigs, cocoanuts, etc, and also to
give as presents to the friends of those who
ship. The second boat acts as ''cover" TO
the first, and both crews are heavily armed
Nearing the beach, the leading boat is
turned rornd md backed to the sandy shore,
care being taken to keep it aioat, the inter
prefer warning the crowd Of naked, brutal
savages to keep clear Of the long steering oar.
Tho crew keep their oars and rifles ready for
use, and the second boat stops about 100 feet
out from the first, and, swinging broadside
on, its crew seize their rifles and ''stand by
to defeat any attack on their friends. Tho
natives, some of whom are sure TO be ere
turned labor and consequently familiar
with pigeon English, crowd around near
the stern of the boat and boot and yell while
the Interpreter rattles OF something like the
following:
Hello, all you fine fella! How you do?
You come down TO ship, hey9 Well, 'spose
you want to go one fine ship-cap'n one fine
m2n-you come long. Here, you good fella
boy" pointing to some gaping native in the
crowd catch EN- this" ninging some bits
OF tobacco ashore, which arc promptly fought
for Get plenty all sarae on board ship.
Plenty yam" (the staple food; plenty fine
shirts; shoes; oh, everything. Make you
big man you come. 'Spose you ship, you get
one pound one moon for one yam" which
means the maa ispror!ised 81 49, per month
or ''moon" for the first year, called ''yam."
because it takes that length Of time for that
eScUient to ripen.
In the midst of the profound excitement
produced by this unheard of offer grizzleG
headed old ruiiian in the crowd spoke up:
''Whst for you lie, Billy! You think ali
this fella boy fooli Plenty boys ship hero
befo To- e one yam" (the regular price paid
in the colonies. Why you talk e. one
fnoonF" And the veteran takes a firmer grip
OF bis battle AK and jabbers something con-
tenptuous OF Billy 70 the crowd, who there
upon began to handle their clubs, guns, bows
arrows and spears furtively but threatinsly.
Billy is not discouraged He points to our
flag, which the sayases are quick to discover
is new to them, and by his eloquence and
liberal showers Of tobacco and Investments
In vans, bananas and cocoanuts persuadeS 4
few of the natives TO ship"
But they viii not do 50 until good sized
bundle is made up from the trade box for
their friends There are displayed, therefore.
two or three yards Of turkey red cloth to ba
given TO the frightful looking, skinny old
squaw bowling on the beach, who claims to
be the mother of the .'boy." There is meas
urcd out s handful Of gay beads, which will
snoth the anguish Of the younger female, who
is the departing mans betrothedl A muskes
ian altered flint Ioc.3 is laid aside as a part
ing gift TO the father, a lot of percussion caps,
which won't At or explode; n handful Of
metallic cartridgss-the gun is a muzzls
loader; I package OF powder, damp, and some
bar lead for bullets so with the musket-
There are also matches, sheath knife, and q
quantity Of tobacco. All this treasure is
passed ashore-under cover Of the rifles Of
tna boats crew-Snd the hoy" is showed
elong into the bow of the boat, which is
pulled Immediately out to the coming boat,
TO which the bird" is transferred, and we
go in to get another one.
While the recruit is being taken to the Sec
ond boat the scene on the beach is n peculiar
one The bundle OF gifts is being dis
t-ibutedn and by the time we have shipped
halt dozen 'boys" pretty much everybody on
the beach has something or other.
sSucn ia its huuanast aspect, Is the manner
in which labor is secured IL the South Seas.
-F. L. Clarke in San Francisco Call.