Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-07-13
Mr.. H0LDEN'S NARRATIVE.
A Romantic Story of Shipwreck,
Captivity and Suffering.
CAST AMONG BARBAR0I'S SAVAGES.
Horace Holden Subjected to Inbeard Of
Suherings Among the BarbarOus
Pelew Islanders.
asst AMONG BARBAROIs sAyAGEs.
CHATTER VII.

III IIlc ndIDes DI THESE lSldDUefS
could not find that they had any
thing like a family name, but only a
single one, corresponding to our
christian names) as Is the case, |
believe, throughout the Islands OF
the Pacific. / could not learn that
the names were significant either of
animals or other objects, as the
Indians of America are, aud never
found any two persons Of the same
name. The children do not adj
dress their parents by any name
corresponding to father or mother,
papa or mamma, but by their
names. Their parents treat them
on the footing Of equality. They
are generally well behaved, and are
never punished, except occasionally
when impatient for their food.
A detail of all that befcll us
would serve only to give pain to the
BENEVOLENT, or at most to show how
much human beings can endure. |
shall attempt but little more than to
describe the -ullerings of IA day. OBJ
serving once for all, that for the
term Of cwo long years we expert
enced the same privations, and
were subjected to the same brutal
treatment; life during that time,
was no better than the constant
succession of the most acute suf-
fcrings.
This island, unlike the Pelews, is
one of the most horrible and wretch
ed on the face of the globe. The
only product Of its soil worth men
tloning Is the cocoa tree, and those
are of 50 dwarfish and miserable IA
growth as to bear but very few nuts.
These few, however, constitute the
foo! of the inhabitants, with the
exception of II species of fish caught
occasionally near the shore. The
only animals or creeping things
known on the island are lizards and
mice, and, during our stay there,
scarcely n solitary sea-fowl was
known To have alighted on the is
land, aud tut few fish were taken
by the natives. The character of
the inhabitants much resembles that
OF the island itself. Cowardly aud
servile, yet most barbarous and
cruel, they combine, in their habits,
tempers, and dispositions, the most
disgusting aud loathsome features
that disgrace humanity. And, what
may he regarded as remarkable, the
female portion of the inhabitants
outstrip the men In cruelty and
savage depravity; 80 much SO, that
we were frequently indebted 10 the
tender mcrcics of the men for escapes
from death nt the hands of the wo-
mon.
The Incidence of the natives,
which not even the fear of starva-
ton itself can rouse to eXertiOn,
prevents them undertaking the least
toll, although little labor, well ap-
piled, might he made 10 render them
Infinitely more comfortable. Strange
rs II may appear, il il nevertheless
true, that, Notwithstanding they are
In this miserable condition, with no
prospect of lis ever being improved,
they are of the opinion that they
nre highly favored, This can he ac-
counted for In no other way than by
the fact, that they are entirely ignor-
ant of all that lies beyond the mar
row limits OF their observation.
They know nothing of any other
portion of the globe. than the mere
speck of barren land upon which, by |
some accident, they were thrown,
and whore they remain 10 drag out /
A wretchcd existence. Their tmdi- /
ions do not extend farther back |
han Ia about hundred years; and,
% theirsimple minds, il seems like n
'plcndid effort of mind to be able Ia
'elate, with tolorahle accuracy,
he time-hallowed stories told them
~ their parents.
Whether they could in amy way
~ improved by instruction, Is
question which II would he ditli.
ull to answer They seem 10 ho
doomed 10 remain as one of the last
inks In the chain that connects
ur race with the animal part of
nation,
tro M CONTINUED NENr sArtWpANl