Evening journal., 1892-07-21
LIVED ON HUMAN FLESH.
A Fearful Tale of Agony and
Loss Of Life in rhe Pacific.
THE EoAPsIzIEa oFTHE BRIa TAHITI.

Nearly -Four Hundred Gilbert islanders
Perish and the Survivors TnrD canni-
bulls Unul All but Two Of Thorn, Who
Finally Reach Land, succumb.
SAN Francisco, July 21-A horrible
story Of shipwreck and suffering in an open
boat under a tropical sun comes from the
coast Of Mexico. 1t throws new light upon
the fate Of the brig Tahiti and her cargo Of
Gilbert islandeis-men, women and chill
dren-who were taken from the South sea
to work on coffee plantations in Mexico.
Last September the Tahiti put into brakes
bay, near San Francisco, having been blown
many hundred miles OFF her course. She
was short Of water and provisions, and her
rigging was sadly in need OF repairs.
Aboard We're nearly 400 Gilbert islanders
crowded into space sufficient for half that
number, and there were also Captain Fer
guson and his wife, H. H. Leavitt, New
York lawyer, and young physician, Dir.
John Gibson of San Francisco Gibson left
the ship and so did the Fergusons. Leavitt,
who was really the speculator in this labor
venture, remained aboard and took on q
new captain named Paulsen. The port Of
iicias made feeble attempt to seize the
Tahiti, but she got away and sailed for her
destination, San Benito, Mexico.
A Strange story.
The next heard Of her wa in October,
when the steamer Rosevill sighted hel
floating bottom up off the lexican coast.
Warships, steamers and sailing vessels have
hunted for possible survivors without sue
cess. Even the wreck is lost somewhere on
the Pacific
Now comes a strange story. Leon Mar
tell, an illiterate Mexican, is the narrator
He has just come from Manzanillo, Mexico.
where he spent several months. -Four
months ago, while up the coast sixty miles
from there, he heard of and visited two
shipwrecked men.
One was a Russian Finn named Johansen
and the other q Gilbert islander. They said
that they were on board the Tahiti when
she capsized, and that. with four others.
they escaped in a small boat. The brig cap
sized in heavy squall on the night Of Oct
10 and was bottom up inside of five min
utes. The boat in which Johansen claimed
to have made his escape was on top of the
house. and floated off when the brig cap
sized. Four others, three men and a wom-
an, all Gilbert islanders, We're in with him.
They had neither food nor water and only
three oars. When daylight came the brig
was out of sight.
Lived on Human Flesh.
On the fourth day the woman died and
the men were forced to eat portions of her
body to keep themselves alive. For the
nrst few days after leaving the brig it blew
a gale, and the men had all they could d
TO prevent the boat from being swamped
Several heavy showers fell, but did them
little good, as what fell in the a or NJ
caught in their clothing was : sed viii
the salt spray that constantly few owe
them. Then the sun came out and beai
down on the unfortunate castaways wit
tropical force, and they suffered terrib
tortures from thirst
One Of the islanders drank salt water
Went mad on the tenth day and finally
plunged into the sea- -Four days later AZ
other islander died and the two survivor
threw him overheard That night it rained
hard and the suffering men caught enouq
water to Quench their thirst The next al,
what was left Of the body Of the woman
was thrown overheard On the morning
Oct. 20, sixteen days after leaving the in
fated brig, the boat was cast ashore. an,.
more dead than alive the two men crawlet
out Of her and laid down on the beach
They were carried to the huts Of som,
fishermen near by, and it was there MarteI
found them The islander had recovered
from his experience, but Johansen was sti
sick