The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-11
4 NIGHT WITH cANNIBALS
Two Reaidenta or seattle Witness the
Orgies of the NahwItti Indians.


| Gen. Lyman Banks and John Hutchinson,
two citizens OF Seattle. have Just returned from
| two months cruise OF the northern part OF
British Columbia and thoy tell some thrilling
stories OF sights they have seen and dangerous
adventures they experienced during their
cruise. The old Hudson Bay Company's trap
pers all unite in calling the past winter the
worst that has been known In that part OF tho
country In the last forty years, and leaf or two
| from their log books show that tho cruisers
| found that fact to be only too true.
A reporter hnppened to meet Gen. Banks on
the street and at hIS request me Gene aI TO- TO-
| teresting cruise. The story Is lnterestihB anu
l. is given below in the language OF Gen Banks
| himself. He began bis narration as follows:
I'VE started out full Of great eNpectations
and pleasant antlcipations, and we did net net
realize for a moment what trials ais, we ,, would
REQUIRED great deal Of Western grit and I'd P ~,
the difficulties OF traversing In summer coast
forest. with its. thousands OF upTooted trees
and still worse uphoaNed foundations can
readily imagine how much greater hardship
1t was for US to travel over three feet OF snow
On level and occas3naIy strG9 drIts much
sal-lal bush for snowshoes. But to add 10 all
our difficulties. our half. breed guide and the
as we had Penetrated a short distance inland
We had Just sighted some hills which they said
that no human being had ever succeeded in
the attempt.
with u determination to accomplish work.
and We wore not to be banied so easily in the
couple Of weeks ratlons and nm .nXe in our
blankets, and ,shouldorinG our Wholesalers
was I shall never forget 1t us long as five.
Where the snow was too, soft and deep we
hands and knees and at times we " we're ere
Obliged to lay down and roll to get out of tho
n ri nd
over 800 milos Of our journey, and some OF it
was in very rough waters. But tho most
would interest you most happened one day
Just as we were running into a cave TO avoid a
but Imagine our horror and disgust when We
found ourselves ~ the midst Of the N9hwiut
bnm SS Fl fe & GS9 Ro SS
ment but only monthly visit from vessels.
and the nea'est h9rt being miles away they
We watched the heathcns during the day at
long ranEc, but under assurance Of safety. We
and watched them. l can only describe ihe |
sight this way: There was high lire Of logs |
In the centre OF the circle. which was constant
ly attended by two mon. and occasionally there /
was an extra hiss and flash as some uneat"n !
tat n vas vas thrown On The entire tribe encirclel
hues. There were naked dancers, and dozen !
or more lusty savaGes with clubs in their hands |
and dances, and the whole sight made a weird |
consisted OF the bodies Of their dead. They |
seldom XIII strangers to furnish food Tor these
horrible orgies. as they were all the time quar-
reIling between themselves and generally had
enough dead bodies OF braves to satisfy their
appetites.
- had been told in Victoria of the possibility
OF this, and warned that when wild with the
dance the braves rush out and bite piece out
OF the first person they come to. Now. have
be bitten BY one of those wild fellows would be
as undesirable as the bite OF a mad dog and
lest IN their excitement they might forget their
promise If immunity. held my hand under
my overcoat and grasped II calibre revolver
that would have furnished ratious fitting the
occasion.
" our sense OF security was not increased by
ono ef them making speech, noticing our
pre- ence and borating the white mans Gov
rnment for trying 10 deprive the poor Indian
IF the pleasure OF being rannibal occasional
y especially If he only fed upon his own dead
The boys crawled behind tho older people
and hid. men were bitten. or sim uated It, and
was afterward shown scars where they
claimed to have been bitten. But we were not
noleSted. one brave however probably to
est us made dash in our direction. but
'tlbers caught him and turned him another
way 1t WAS an al-night session: no one was
allowed to leave till through. which WAS )
'clock the next morning. We had seen
nouRh, though. and Wcr. glad to leave. We |
on our journey and came back again |
without any more exciting adventures, arriy-
ne in Seattle only short time ago. hut |
lever IN my life put in such night rs ! did the
ontcss don't want to soon again"