The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-10-10
Al Adventure with Cannibals.

Sandwich group are known by various
names. The English sailors call them
''The Twins" the American sailor
calls them "Punch and Judy" They
are down on the English sailing charts
of q few years ago as 1.-THE Big and
Little Cannibals," with q note OF
warning that all boats sent on shore
should be armed. as the natives are a
treacherous lot and eat human flesh.
To be honest with the reader, / did
not believe these islanders were eaters
OF human flesh. I had been told 80
by Kanakas and others, but the idea
of a race Of men living within days
sail of civilization and given to such
horrible practices was too absurd
even for sailor Jacks belief. They
might be pirates and wreckers, but they
certainly could not be cannibals. l
am writing of twelve years ago. If l
could not believe it then. who can be-
lieve it now? And yet this dispatch
has lately been published sill Pver the
country:
SAN FRANCISCO. Sept. 5.-Infor} nation is
received that on one OF the outlyi Dc islands
OF the Sandwich group massacre OF three
boatmen belonging to the schoqner May
Anderson was lately made by natives un-
der exceptionally brutal circum stances.
The boatmen were first sew erely wounded
to render them helpless, tied hand and
foot, and then taken in canoes to another
island aud traded for pigs. The purchas-
ers then finished them and had q cannibal
feast on their bodies.
THE Mates STORY.
Now for my own story. In the year
1875 I took first mates berth out
OF San Francisco on the brig Harry
Lee. We were bound for
Honolulu and better weather I never
saw until we were within two days
run of our port. Then we got q gale
which dismasted us and swept two
men overheard; and when we finally
Big Cannibal in 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 spells at the pumps to
keep her anoat. It was two days be.
fore the storm blew itself out and the
sea went down. We lay within half a
milc.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 hearts.
Almost opposite where the hull of
the brig lay pitching at her anchor
was the mouth of q creek, and, al
though there was a bar and the surf
was rolling very high. we entered the
creek without accident. There was
no one in sight and we ran up
the creek about q cables length
and grounded. reasoned that vii.
lage must be close at hand, and leav-
ing two of the men to care for the
boat took two others with me, and
after half an hours walk we came to
the village. We had scarcely caught
sight of the first huts when we were
ourselves discovered. 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 foot. I had served with
Kanakas aboard of whalers and
knew the dialect of the islanders
pretty well. 1t was, therefore, with
horror that I soon learned we were on
Big Cannibal Island, and that the ma
prospect Of the feast before them. I
attempted to say something, but the
noise of their shouts drowned my
words, and each of us was hustled off
by himself to different hut A party
of natives then went to the creek
and easily captured the two
sailors lett in charge of the boat, and
then we were all hustled TO the hut
of the chief, who returned shortly
after our arrival from a friendly visit
to his brother monarch on little
Cannibal. l soon gave the chief to
understand that I could speak his
lingo. He was somewhat surprised,
but he shouted back at me: $50 you
dare land on my island without first
seeking permission. We shall see
about that"
"But we are sailors in Distress" I
replied.
"Bah! What is your distress to
me! AIN EeSpOuSlOle BECAUSE you
don't know how to sail your ship
safely? Where does your craft come
from, and where is she bound tor"
told him truly.
."What is your cargo?"
"She ia in ballast only"
CHOW many men are left aboard?"
"Seven, counting the cook"
els he q negro?"
"He is"
"WelI, you needn't count him. We
will throw him to the sharks. ate
some negro once and it made me sick
for three days. We shall capture the
ship and bring your friends here.
Take the lean, long devil away and
fatten him up. If he won't eat you
must cram the food down his throat"
Our frat nioht in the villaoa WOO a