The Hawaiian gazette., 1893-11-28
HOY NATIVES OF THE SOLOMON
Isl ,NDS RECEIVED A
TRADING VESSEL.
A Ladie of Boiling Pitch Proves a
Quick Perluader in Sending the
savages OverbOard-soms
Lively Work.

pr0tect0rate In 0tner WoruS selLeu-
the Solomon Islands, q group located
in the Pacific ocean and discovered by
Mendana in 1867. A writer in the Pail
Mall Budget-a man who in days
gone by sailed in a British trading
vessel-has the following to say re-
garding the inhabitants and an expe-
rience he had among them at one
time: They are the very kittle cattle
to have to do with now. A few years
back they were ever kittler. Canni-
balls in the days of Mendana-they are
cannibals yet. Aud even in the hall
cyon times of blackbirding, when
"wool money" was plentiful in the
other groups, the fleet gave the Solo
mons as wide berth rs possible, I'M
less luck went against them else
where. Roast recruiter was better
dish even than the proverbial mis-
sionary. Aud new subjects have
tasted both.
We went down there two or three
times before good Bishop Pattes0n
tried to take them in hand. But we
were not after "labor." All we
wanted was some tortoiseshell, cats
eyes, Notwithstanding, in fact,
that we could get, bar themselves.
The Queensland planters have already
had taste of their quality. They
sulked, refused all food, and in due
course died. So they really were not
worth kidnapping, even il it could be
managed with safety, which it could
not. More suspicious, watchful and
treacherous natives exist nowhere.
Therefore, we wanted none of them.
Since few missionaries have gained
footing on some of the islands they
have improved enough to be recruited
and learned enough to work, and now
there are some very tolerable boys"
taken from the Solomons, under the
new regime, on the plantations.
COMING To TRADE.
But, as l said, we didn't call for
"labor," merely to see what we could
do in fair trade. And we lay off
Ysabel at anchor with our boarding
MEETINGS triced up and every man
revolver III his DSltJ q Ou1ucE uduul
and a stand of pixies against the
mainmast. And they came off in
hundreds, the artful beggers, waving
their arms joyously and standing up
in their canoes to show that they
carried no wepons, thinking that we
were as green as the rushes that con-
eealed the spears and clubs in the
bottom of the canoes. And they
pulled round and round, and leered
ianguishingly up at US, as much as to
say, "Good Lord Here's supply of
long pigI Roasted white man. How
can we get at it 2"
Suddenly there was rush for the
open space left near the gangway of
forty or fifty canoes. But the savages
were met with a bristling elump of
boarding pixies. Whereupon they
retired smiling widely, as if it was the
best joke in the world. Then they all
went off to a distance and presently
one canoe came alongside, and her
crew held up sheets Of shell, cat's-eye
stones wrapped in big leaves and
other curios. We let this lot on board
and passed the canoe astern. They
were perfectly naked, bar the slightest
apology for Ioin cloth. Their color
was a very dark brown, and they had
great tZzled heads OF hair, stained
dirty red. borrower, they were
covered most of them, with cuts and
wounds, many yet raw and gaping.
There had probably been a question Of
home rule adopted lately on the
island.
A CERTIFICATE OF CHARACTER.
One fellow, evidently chief, draw
ing little parcel from the iDnermost
recesses Of his wig presented it to the
captain, exclaiming airily, "SydDey
Goddamw Undoing the packet the
skipper discovered piece Of paper on
which was written, with date some
six years previous, ssThis is to certify
that the bearer and his mates are the
NEST Internal get of scouDdrels in the
islands. Keep your weather eye lift
ing or they'll have you" The sigma
ture was that Of well-knoWn trader,
master of a schooner sailing out of
Sydney. The rest of the canoes had
clustered around again on both sides
and in such numbers that the schooner
was the center Of a. yelling mass Of
niggers. This was unpleasant and as
our anchor was barely touching we
hove it off the bottom and set the
foretopsafl. The breeze was very
light. But we felt easier.
Meanwhile, the njggers on deck,
dozen or so in number, were swooping
round. One lot congregated about
ring bolt, while, hidden In their midst,
two OF them stopped down and pulled
with all their might at the iron ring,
pulled and strained until something
had to give. But it wasn't the bolt.
And then the rest scratched their wigs
and yelled disappointedIy. And pres
emily they scored. The carpenters
cross cut saw was lying on the fore
hatch. A couple of the visitors
sampled it, and finding that it was
loose and Of good metal each taking
hold Of an end, spraDg overheard.
Diving with the eightfoot saw they
Freappeared far beyond the boats max
ing bee-line for shore.
ssEAKTSG on BOARD BY THE DOZEN
Trade being brisk, the skipper
knocked up the carpenters rife,
which was leveled at the swimmers,