Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-02-01
FED TO cANNTBALs.

-
4. ONION Islands.
ri y; "A letter from Captain Woodhouse,
rho has charge of a trading schooner,
the Emma Fisher, belonging to Messrs
Kelly & Williams, of Sydney, was re-
ceived in town yesterday, giving brief
particulars of the preparation OF some
further atrocities on traders, and tho
practice of cannibalism by the natives
of one of the Solomon Islands. The pa
ticulars to hand are that the Emma
Fisher had fallen in company with the
schooner Enterprise, of Sydney, from
which it was CLEANED that the boat
steerer, an A. b. on board the Enterprise
named Nelson, had been killed and
eaten, together with three others-na-
tives. Nelson is given as a native Of
Norway, a man Of about thirty years Of
age, and possessing some years. expe-
rience in the island trade. The massa-
ere would seem to have been premedi-
tated.
Nelson bears the reputation here Of
being a well-conducted man, and had
always appeared to be, and was, in fact,
on the best terms with the Solomon
Islanders at the places periodically
called at by the schooner Enterprise.
From the information to hand it appears
that the natives came of. as is custom
airy, from lit is believed) Hammond
Island, near Rubiam, in the Solomon
group, and represented that they wanted
to dispose of some copra.
Nelson and three Of tho native crew on
board the Enterprise were thus induced
to land in the schooner's boat, and pro-
coeded up to the village at which the
copra was reported to be stored.
While in the act of stopping to pick q
handful of the copra up, Nelson was, it
is stated, fellcd by blow on the back
of the head from an axe or tomahawk,
and before his Grew of three native
boys" could regain the boat they were
similarly massacred. The bodies were
roasted and eaten.
The letter received from Captain
Woodhouse further mentions that her
Majesty ship Royalist had visited the
group, and Captain Hand, upon hearing
the particulars of the murders, shelled
the villages at which the perpetrators
were reported to have taken refuge.
The letter also contains particulars of
the trial and sentence of a Solomon
Island chief named Johnson, the native
name Sono. Johnson was taken some
time since by the Royalist for the muir
der OF European belonging to Sydney
named Thomas Datelle, and various in
quiries have been made as to what had
been done with him. From Captain
Woodhouse's letter it is ascertained
that after fully investigating the
charge against the semi-civilizcd savage
johnson was taken to Motu and there
hanged. As to the continuous outrages
committed by the natives OF the Solo
mon Islands, some inquiry was made
recently from one or two Of the old
traders who are at present in Sydney.
Captain Cable, well-known ship
master, trading out of this port, says
that skull-hunting is as ripo as it ever
was with many of the tribes He also
mentions as an incident in point that
q number Of 'boys" (natives) in the
employ of white men, on the occasion Of
the massacre, and who were present
when the murdered men were receiving
a Christian burial, protested among
themselves that they should DO per-
mitted to use the bodies for food.
Cannibalism, according to all that can
be learned, still exists to a terrible ex-
tent and the cruelty and barbarism
still perpertaed by the natives among
their own people is reported to be al
most incredible at some of the islands
in the Solomon group.-Sydney Aus
tralia) Herald.