Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-05-03
gESRRET EVENING NEWS
Saturday, May !. 1890.
CANNIBAIs IN CANADA.
HORRIBLE FEAsrs OF THE ABoRIG-
ISEs-A NIGHT WITH NAN
EATERS.

EATERS
General Lyman Banks and John
Hutcheson, two citizens Of Seattle,
have just returned from a two
months cruise Of the northern coast
nf British Columbia, and they tell
sumo thrilling stories Of sights they
have seen anu dangers they exper-
ieBc-d during their cruise
TIE Old liuis1in Bay Company's
ira ta-f- all unit. la calling the past
5. ute the wort That has been
hn"Wii Ia that IaTt II the country in
iiit. last forty years. and a leaf or
two from their log isOoks show that
the cruisers iUuud tiat fact TO be
only too true.
\ SEATTLE Eos-lntelligeRcer re-
porter happened to inset General
banks on the street, aud at his re-
7sl-,i the general recited the story
u his mos exciting and interesting
ck8ise The starry is interesting,
AM Il IS given below in the lang
uage Jf General Banks himself. He
began-his narT.ition IS follows: 1--WE
started out full VI great expectations
and pleasant anticipatlons, and We
did not realize for a moment what
trials we would have TO go through,
and tell you mt times it required
great deal Of Western grit and push
to get ahead. Those who are
acquainted with the difficulties Of
traversing in summer a coast forest,
with its thousands OF uprOOted trees
and still worse upheaged fCunda-
tions, can perhaps readily imagine
how much greater n hardship II
was for us 10 travel over three
feet Of snow on a level anu occa-
1 sionally strike drifts much deeper
and great deal too much tangle OF
sal-lal bush for snOwshOes. But, TO
add to all our difficulties, cur half
breed guide ami the two Indian
packers refused TO so with US as soon
Is we had penstrated a short dis
lance inland.-We had just sighted
some hills which they said We
could never pass over, and they al
legged that no human being had ever
succeeded in the attempt.
"They strongly urged and prayed
us not ~ proceed any farther, but
We had Started out with 4 deter
mination 10 accomplish IA wOrA anu
We were not 10 he baflied 50 easily
in thebrginning Of our journey. So
we packed up = couple OF weeks
rAti0ns and an axe in. or Blankets,
and, shouldering cur WinchesteIs,
we uushed on alone. Oh, what "A
Journey that wasi / shall never
forget il as long as | live.
"Where The snow was too soft and
deep we managed TO make progress
by crawling on our hands anu knees,
and at times we were Obliged 70 lay
down and r0ll to get out OF the
snow. Ia was hard struggling 10y
day, bit the snow made a SOFT bed at
night. We can0ed over three hun
Gred miles Of our journey, and some
Of il was in very rough waters. But
the most startling experience we had
and the one that-would Interest you
most happened one day just as We
were running into a cave to avoid
storm. We got into the cave all
right enough, but Imagine our hOr-
rUr and disgust when we found our
selves In the midst Of the Nahwitti
Indian ribe at their caunibal orgies.
Cannibalism is prohibited Is the
DOminiOngovernm but with only
4 monthly visit from vessels, aud the
nearest p0It being miles away, they
carry on the horrible practice with
impuuiiy.
"We watched the heathens dur
ing the day ut long range, but under
Insurance Of safety We ventured
after awhile into their circle at
aight and watched them. / can
only ds-cribe the sight this way:
There vas = high fire Of logs in the
centre OF the circle, which was con-
stantIy attended by two men, and
Occasionally there was an extra hiss
and fash IS s1ine uueaten fat was
thrown on The entire tribs en-
circiesi the fire, dressed in blankets
Of many brilliant hues. There were
naked dancers, and n dozen or more
uisty savages with clubs In their
hands beating an accompaniment
TO the wild songs and dances, and
the whole sight made q weird scene
that Is not soon forgotten. Their
feast consisted Of the bodies Of their
dead. They seldom kill strangers
To furnish food for these horrible |
orgies, IS they were all the time
guarreling between themselves and
generally had enough dead bodies Of
braves TO satisfy their appetites.
81 had been told in Victoria Of |
the instability Of this, and warned |
that when Wild with the dance the |
braves rush out and bite a piece out
Of the first person they come 10.
Now have no objection 10 bee eaten
afterI anu dead, but to be bitten by |
one of those wild fellows would be |
as undesirable as the bite Of mad |
dog. and lest in their excitement
they might forget their promise Of
immunity, l held my hand under |
my Oyercoat and grasped a 54-cali-
Der revolver that would have fur
nished rations fitting the occasion.
"Our sense Of security was not in !
creased by one OF them making n |
Speeeh, noticing our presence and
berating the white mans govern
ment for trying to deprive the poor |
Indian Of the pleasure Of being |
caunibal occasionally, especially If |
he only fed upon his own dead 4
ssThe boys climbed behind the |
older people and hid, men were Bit
ten or simulated it, and | was after
ward shown scars where they
claimed TO have been bitten. But |
we were not molested- One brave,
however, probably to test Us, made |
q dash in our direction, but others |
caught him and turned him another
way. II was an all night session.
no one was allowed 10 leave till |
through, which was O'Clock the |
next morning. Wehad seen enough,
though, and We were glad TO leave. |
We pr0ceedeyl on our journey aud
came gain without any more |
exciting adventures, arriving in |
Seattle only a short time ago. But |
/ never in al my lie put In such a |
night as / Gid the time Of those
frightful orgies, and | candidly |
confess / DON'T want to soon again"