The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-03-23
THE KING TALKS.
LARGE AUDIENCE cREETs COL. HoBBs
AT THE OPERA HOUSE TUESDAY
NIGHT

ana sovereign ruler OF Que OI the
group OF the New H brides islands,
situated in the South Pacific ocean,
known as the Ilika group; also
the representative of the Sydney, AIis->
tralia. Herald, the Morning Mail of
the samecity and the London Graphic;
a late commissioneratt at the Worlds Fair
from Samoa, appeared before a large
audience Tuesday night and greatly
pleased his hearers with interesting
and instructive matter about these
strange people and their customs, hab-
its aud mode of living.
Col. Hobbs is South Caroliniau hy
birth and 25 years ago when boy re-
sided in Marion county with his fa-
lher, DIR. Hobbs, on the Eichelberger
place six miles south of Ocala. Since
his boyhood days and graduation
from college Col. Hobbs has spent
thirteen years in travelling over the
world, across the plains of Africa and
through the jungles of India and
touching here and there on some of
the thousands and tens of thousands
of islands that dot The Pacific ocean
in quest of adventures and in pursuit
of information for the Sydney press,
for ,yhich he was a correspondent, at
times one of Sir Baker, the great AT.
riran explorers lieutenants. From a
fund of information thus gained he
gave = most delightful talk, took a
figure of speech glance at Hawaii,
which for so long time has engaged
the reading public of this country,
spoke of lis unsurpassed physical
grandeur aud the immensity IF its
crater, the largest on ear,h; then oi
the Samoan people, the perfect ply
sicsl beauty of its men and women and
of the peol le inhabiling the groups
beyond, how they live, mate and en-
ter into the eonnubial state. " hen
fair maid of that land loves lad she
is not afraid TO go up tc him and tell
him so, not q poetic sentimental affrc-
ton, but one of admiration, which, il
reciprocated. grows into true heart af
fection, which leads 10 marriage and
a very happy Lille. He said semi-har-
barians and canribals though these
people be, their women are noted for
their chastity.
lie spoke of the fearful ordeals
through which the youths PASS to be-
come men and enroll themselves un-
der the banners of war, custom and
ceremony similar to the Indian war
dance.
Tie lecturer related how these peo-
pie extend their friendship aud con-
fer distinction on visitors. About for
ty persons took an herb, chewed it Wig
orously and deposited The saliva into
bowl, resembling in color rich to-
bacco tint, mich is dipped out by us
ing diminutive cup and proffered to
their guests. II Ifpartaken of, it means
eternal friendship, if rejected, death
alone can wipe out the insult.
Col. Hobbs related very amusing
experience Sir Baker and lie had with
a tribe and how he was compelled to
take cup of this repulsive looking
beverage. lie said the experience
could only be imagined and not de-
scribed as the liquid brewed by eighty
jtws ran riot in the stomach of the
drinker.
HOW COL HOBBS BECAME A LIVING
KING.
In his duties of correspondent sever
al years ago he was coasting off the
Iilaka islands, a typhoon came up,
the vessel was wrecked and all on
board swept into The ocean and as far
as known with the aid of life-pre-
server, Col. Hobbs was the only one
saved after floating around in the
ocean for two days and a night, res
cued by friendly canooSr who took
him to one of The islands.
Describing the destroying element.
he said it came up quictly, but death
and destruction lurked in its fearful
presence and in an instant Hurled
everything in lis reach to atoms. In
half an hour after The fearful storm
the ocean was us calm and quiet as a
mill-pond.
AS good fortune would have it Col.
Hobbs had picked up few words of
their language, and to the chief, said
he was a cast away.
A month after he arrived in the is
land trading vessel came along and
hung out lis flags. Tie islanders and
their W yes boarded the vessel.
Tho women were imprisoned and
the men ordered of. Refusing 10 go,
for they love their women dearly. four
of, them were shot dead and the others
tossed into The waters, and the vessel
sailed away to New Guinea, where the
captured women We're sold for wives
to the sugar, rice andscotfee growers of
that island for $50 to $l50a piece, only
to linger, pine away anG die.
Later or another trading vessel
came along. The natives refused To
come on board, but were invited
ashore, anbushed and killed to
avenge the capture of their women.
The trader sailed away, reported the
masacree 10 British man.of-war pat
rolling those waters, and the COM
mander of the same appeared OF the
Ilaka Islands and proposed to shell
and destroy The villages and lay waste
their crops but Col. Hobbs interceded
for the islanders, told their sad story,
when the Captain justified the Ilakians
in defending their homes and women.
After this a war broke out among the
different tribes of the islanders and by
the strategy Col Hobbs employed he