Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-14
EATEN BY CANNIBALS.
Sad Fate of a White Missionary
Recently on the Fiji Islands.
HIS NAME AND CHURCH UNKNOWN.
The Thrilling Experience of Divide Musin
With the Natives.
SAW THE BODY READY FOR THE FEAST

q. E. Johnston, manager of Divide Musin,
the violinist, was in Pittsburg yesterday
arranging for concert to be given here in
January. He has just come back from a
tour of Australia and New Zealand. The
company landed in San Francisco about a
week ago. Musin went to Detroit and
Mr. Johnston came to this city.
He relates a thrilling experience that
Musin and he had in the Fiji Islands about
three weeks since. The story concerns the
fate of q white missionary, and may lead to
his Identification. Mr.. Johnston was so
badly frightened that he hadn't time or the
opportunity to learn the name of the victim
or the denomination to which he belonged.
The blood. thirsty and vicious natives had
killed him, boiled the body and were pre-
pairing to eat it when two white men inter-
rupted the feast Mr.. Johnston tells the
story as follows:
| "Musin had completed his tour of Aus
tralia and New Zealand and mad started for
home in the Mallapoosa, one of the steamers
used by Claus Spreckles in the South
Sea sugar trade. We met with great sue
cess and made lots of money in New Zea-
land, where the natives are magnificent
specimens of physical development and
rather intelligent
Appreciated High-Class Music.
'They are very fond ofmusic, and all of
Musin's efforts were appreciated. On board
the ship the viollnist became very popular
| with the crew. He amused the sailors by
| giving concerts frequently for their benefit.
| After we had been out about five days sail
se1on oa ne F fGppsa saass at MasD
pressed a desire to see little of the coun-
| try, and Captain Haywood consented to
| wait six hours for him. agreed to go, and
together We set out from the shore, having
no idea Of the people or their mode Of
| living.
1--WE had gone into the interior about two
tha sS Mneh we can came G upon ap
stand on end. Musin was as badly scared as
myself. We encountered a village, and the
| natives were gathered with the king to eat
the body of white man. The ruler was
seated IN the center and the cannibals were
arranged around him. The victim was
lying on the ground in plain view. The body
was still burning briskly under it. 1t was
evident that they had just taken it out and
were preparing to eat 1t.
A Very Tough-Looking Monarch.
"The King was hideous looking object.
His face was marked with black streaks
that ran from the nose across the cheeks to
the ears. At the first glance thought they
were painted, but 1 soon saw that the
brands had been scared into the flesh with a
red-hot iron. The cannibals were q curious
sight The older people wore fig leaves or
clouts around the hips. but the younger
They were so busily engaged that they
did not notice us for time, and we were too
badly frfg ghtened to move for a moment
Musin had a kodak and his first exclamation
was: My God. wonder if we can get back
to the ship alive He managod to control
his nerves long enough to take a snapshot
of the picture and to secure q separate pho.
tograph OF the misunderstanding King. He
now has the IN in proof and is showing them
to his friends.
"In our exposed position, of course we
were quickly discovered, and the ruler and
his people stopped and stared at us like
wild animals interrupted in their feast: In
tor the vessel. 1 didn't stop to look back,
and at every step I thought heard the
rapid breathing OF the savages hot in pur-
suit. never legged it SO rapidly in my life,
and we landed on the shore ready to drop
from exhaustion.
Mrs. Musin Went Into Mysteries.
"In the meantime Captain Haywood told
Mrs. NJ usin little about the island and the
blooo-thirsty character Of the people. She
became alarmed at the prolonged absence
of her husband and went into Mysteries. 1t
took several days OF careful treatment be-
fore she got over the scare.
"The captain did not seem surprised
when he saw us returning to the vessel on
the run. He suspected what we had seen
and was not very much affected. Appa.
rently he had become accust omed to such
scenes. He admitted that he was worried
after we had started, and he was
on the point of sending out some
of his men to search for us when
he saw us coming back. He explained that
so lar as he knew the natives would not
harm traders or Travellers but they had an
inveterate hatred of missionaries who tried
to convert them and turn their minds from
error and darkness. He had often advised
missionaries not to lano there. as they were
sure to be boiled and eaten like the poor
man we had just seen. 1 can't remember
the name Of the station on the island. but
never want to have such a terrible expert
Ell ce again."