The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-30
FIGHT WITH CANNlBALs.

Wy VotsOus Al 0SAS8OW mAIA
FIGHT WITH CANNlBALS.
some fifteen years ago / WAS harpooner
on a New Bedford whaler. We were ont for
. four years. voyage, and had bssn fairly
succsssful. W. had just finished q sssssn
~ the Chatham islands II The South Pacific,
and were among the Fiji islands after hump
back whales. Time hung heavily on our
hands, % whales were scarce, and % spent
our time making fancy articles. such a.
Danes, work boxes, ETC.. which We could sell
in New Zealand at exorbitAnt rates.
One day the captain happened to want
some osoanut wood for osnoes, 90 10 Or
dered . boat cleared away. aud the ssoond
mate and hve men jumped in and rowsd 70
the nearest island to procure . young,trse.
] WAS among the number, and thought it u
fins chance 10 stretch my legs ashore for a
while. We took no arms. AZ these islands
are many of them uninhsbitsd by man OF
beast, bat We bitterly regretted this later on.
Tho island was scarcely two miles AWAY.
and not . breath rufied the surface Of the
blue waters - ~ sped along. A csrsl reef
encircled ths island, and it WAS some time
before We found q narrow opening, just wide
enough to admit our passing through. Oaos
inside, a pull Of 100 yards brought NJ to the
beach.
The second mate and myself lit our pipes,
hnd one of the men took the hatohet and
felled the tree. II was soon cut up into
pieces Of the right length and placed in the
boat, and then We sat down in . little grove
of palm trees Z short distance away and re-
called ourselves with the green socoanuts.
After We had eaten our I'LL W. sauntersd
slowly back toward the boat. We WOO
about half way there whom ! happened to
glance back over nv shoulder.
Tho next instant ] gave a shout. for not
more than twenty-five ards behind as were
twenty hideous FIJI warriors, running after
US at full speed, carving their huge clubs
and shields. Their bare feet made no
noise in the sand. and had mot ohanesd to
look back they would have been upon u a
moment later.
Good God!' cried the second mate, 1--WE
are dead men sure! Run. boys, run!'
n va did run. II ever l thanked
heaven for my six feet four of flesh and
bone. il was then, for my long legs sent me
Ear ahead Of my shipmatss, and l reached
the boat first. sn3 ir.,%
Tho wood in the boat made hsrheavy, but
my fright augmented my naturally & eat
strength, and placing my shoulder against
ehs bow, Isuocssded in pushing her into
tho water just as my shipmatss came tear
ing down the beach.
"Quiok, or we're lost!' l cried as the,
eplsshed into the water and scrambled into
She boat.
But hurry ~ they might. the savagss were
CLOSE behind, and as ths last man climbed
on board the foremost natives dashed into
The water with fierce yells Of ,triumph.
l stood mp to my knees in the water hold
$nn n bNnk Enr roa ~ ,., = -
turned to jump ON board = brawny Fiji
epranR upon me with uplitted olub. l
lodged a blow which would have soattersd
my brains about, and as the hugs club
struck tho wateg l struck straight from the
shoulder, pnttinR all my 250 pounds into the
effort. 1t caught the follow under the ear
and ho dropped like n dead man.
The next instant sprahg into tho boat
and seized an on. Ey this time tho other
sailors had got out their oars and attempted
to row, but in their fright they were max
ing poor work of it. and one man fell back
ward in tho boat, nearly losing his oar over
board.
As I raised the oar to push the boat swav
from the shore two more sayaRss rushed
forward. brandishinR their clubs, wh,le a
spear whistled within an inch Of my head.
Up went the huge wal clubs in the air and
] made . desperate sweep with tho heavy
oar. striking one warrior in the neck and
sending him staggering against his com
panion. who fell with him. ~
Pull for you livss!" shouted, a.
seated myself ON this bow thwart and
shipped my oar. a"
But We were not to escape SO easily, TO-
with . hoarse CRY Of rage the natives
dashed in to the water up 10 their armpit..
and one of them seized the bow of the boat
With both hands.
just then l saw n sharp Ratchet lying at
my feet in the boat, and seized it without
delay. 1t was but the work of an instant
to deal the savage = deadly blow, and he
fell back into the water, his head elovsn in
two. ~.
A fearful chorus of yells burst from the
baffied Fijis as they saw ~ bend to tho oars
and shoot off beyond their. roach, and then
they scrambled ashore and ran swiftly into
the bush.
''Thank the Lord. boysw said the second
mate; that was a close call. We'te safe
unless they've got 4 canoe round that
But no oanoe appeared, and we were be.
ginning to breathe easier when suddenly W
saw a large war canoe shoot around ths J
point mentioned, manned BY fully = score
of naked Fijis.
Not a word was spoken AZ We bent to our
It was life or death for us now, and
made every stroke tell. We shot
through tho narrow opening in the reef
fifty yards ahead Of our pursuers, and
uOpoU tO0e a. VIZ saw VIC Ola OArk was
toward a., bringing a light breszs
her.
Long and strong, boysy' said the mate,
stood up III The stern with tho long
steering, oar. as no glanced back at ths
- They've got only q couple of
dozen Of mon. and that craft 10 made for
about fifty paddles. They amt gaining.
Send her along!'
How va did pull. The men we're oil used
10 the work. and the broad backs swaysd
back and forth in perfect unison. Every
BAR was dipped deep in the water and tho
boat fairly jumped ahead every time tie
arm straiRhtsnsd out.
lnch BY inch We began TO gain until at
we were drawing noar the bark. Then
With one accord our pursusrs stopped pad
alinQ and united in . shout of disappointed
rage. after which they tn, ned about and
paddled slowly back to land.
= was not till afterward We learned the
probable cause Of their attack. The COCOA
ut tree ia sacred in some Of these islands.
it is death to fell one. We had . mar.
'ow escape.
Guaranteed Cure.
We authorize our advertised druggist 10