The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-06

| and fully 100 miles from land. They could
| speak no ineligible language, and made
| their wants known by signs. People who
| had travelled in foreign countries, and es-
| pecially among the islands of the South
Pacific ocean, endeavorec to talk to them,
bat without success.
at last a young Englishman named
auckland, who had lived for several years
on the Gilbert islands, in the South Pacific,
happened to visit the dock where the cast
Always were temporarily quartered, and
spoke to them in Gilbert island language.
In a moment they replied, all chattering
excitedly at the same time.
A chief of inferior rank who was among
the party acted as spokesman, being occa-
sionally prompted by one of the others.
He said that he and his companions lived
at Butaritari, village on one of the ISL
ands forming the Gilbert group. Ten days
before they had been rescued by the sailing
ship ''black birding" or kidnapping, expe-
dition composed of two vessels had ap-
peared near the village The natives knew
the ships had called on business and hast
ened to escape to neighboring islands, fif-
teen or twenty miles distant, but before
the party in question could reach a haven
of refuge a storm suddenly came up and
drove them far out to sea, where they lost
their bearings. Their supply of food and
water became exhausted, and for five DAYS
they suffered the torments of hunger and
thirst. During this time three of the party
died Then the signals of distress hoisted
by the survivors were observed by the sail
ing vessel, which hove in sight and took
them to San Francisco.
Two weeks after their arrival they were
shipped back to the Gilbert islands on
vessel which intended to touch there.
The picture shown was taken in San
Francisco previous to the islanders de-
parture for their tropical home.
kidnapping to a large extent has pre-
vailed among the islands in the South Pa
cific ocean for many years. and still exists,
although but little is ever heard in the
United States concerning the practice, ow-
ing to the remoteness Of those islands and
the few opportunities afforded for com
munication with the more civilized parts
of the world.
The smaller and more insignificant islands
are preferred by the professional man hunt
ers in which to carry on their search. The
important islands are avoided for several
reasons one being that white men. live on
some of them, and would forcibly object TO
the stealing and carrying away of the ma
tives, while the larger islands generally
belong to some Of the European powers,
England, for instance, having annexed"
and taken under its protection FIJI, Tonga
and Raratonsa; France owning Tahiti;
Spain the Caroline islands and Germany
the Marshall group.
1t is to the smaller, less civilized and
more remote islands that the man hunters
direct their attention. The New Britain,
Solomon, Gilbert, Mule and few minor
groups offer especially inviting fields. The
kidnapping is usually done under the sem
blance of law, but the result is quite the
same as though no such observance was
had. Samoa is particularly attractive
market for the disposal of human chattels.
There are located many foreign firms, or
their agencies, engaged in operating large
plantations and conducting extensive gem
eral merchandise stores. One firm employs
over fifty European clerks in its store and
warehouses, while on the plantations it |
owns and leases it employs a number of |
European overseers The merchandise sold !
in the stores is shipped chiefly from Europe |
and Australia, some being sent from the |
United States also. The goods are either |
sold for cash TO the Safnoans and others or /
else exchanged for "cOpra." 1t may be ex- |
planned that coDra is the white meat of the !
cocoanut, which is cut out of the nut, |
cured in the sun for a certain length Of |