The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-10-05

Roderick Mckenzie, who left HUI
ron, Ontario, nearly forty years ago
for the South Sea Islands, was the
first white man to live and trade with
the natives of many of the islands in
that comparatively unknown archi-
pelago. He relates many thrilling
. incidents in his life amongst
the natives, his adventures with
the cannibals Of the Gilbert
group being among the most
interesting. The story is best told in
Mr.. McKenzie's own words:
I shipped as a. 3. on whaler from
Sydney. After cruising about for four
months we landed on one of the ISL
ands belonging to the Gilbert group.
Dissatisfied with the treatment re-
ceived on board, determined that L
would If possible leave the vessel. L
was aided in my efforts by native
whom / met and who had been for
four years on board of whaler, where
he picked up sufficient of our language
to understand what L wanted. He
followed the whaler with his canoe
when we sailed away the next day.
/ jumped over the bow and let the
vessel pass over me. He took me in
his canoe and we were soon on shore.
A few days afterwards we were walk
ing along the beach and saw about
forty natives, some of whom were
digging in the sand. They soon I'M
covered the body of a man. 1t seems
that the unwritten code OF their laws
provides the death penalty for theft,
or the man from whom the gully one
steals can save him from execution by
making him his slave for life. This
was the body of a man who had SUI
fered death for theft. After eXhum-
ing the body they impaled it on
pointed stake. To this they fastened
a rope on either side, and several men
taking each end of the rope amused
themselves by jerking the body about.
i became so sickened by the disgust
ing sight that ordered my compan-
ion to come away. He did so, but
either for the sake of having joke at
my expense or because his cannibal-
istic nature delighted in the grue-
some sight, he soon led me by a de-
tour through the woods to the place
from whence we came. The natives
were now within the hut: We en-
tered and found them seated around a
fire on which were number of cocoa
nut shells, on which something was
simmering. / asked my companion
what it was, and he told me it was
portions of the body which we had
seen. In answer to my question as to
whether they were going to eat it he
replied that they would not eat it but
would go through the pretence OF
doing 50. Seeing was about to leave
he pressed me not TO do so, as the host
would be offended, and unless we &C
cepted portions of the feast from the
host it might occasion war between
his tribe and that of my companion.
The host soon came forward with q
cocoanut shell for each of us. / could
not remain and see steaming before
me portions of a human body, so got
up to leave and was followed by the
host. ] thought that possibly l would
be the next victim, and my fears were
considerably augmented by seeing the
two feet OF the dead man, with the
soles turned upwards, resting on q |
L started To- run, but was
soon brought TO a halt 10y something (
striking me with q sickenins thud on |
the back of the head. Imagine my !
horror to see OF rising that the man |
had struck me with one of the feet. |
He was standing grinning and SEEM |
ed to- enjoy my discontinue. / soon |
made my way to the hut of my friend, |
who shortly after appeared and as |
sured me that they had no cannibal- !
istic Intentions as far as / was con- |
cerned, and only waited to enjoy !
themselves at my expense. He had /
almost allayed my fears when L saw /
about 1900 natives coming toward the J
hut. 1 again breathed freely when 1 !
found that they came with baskets of |
tarrow yamS, bananas, etc, which |
fhau V1razlaH ma take and asGnTpH Il
me they were only joking. /
Shortly after this they wanted me /
TO become one OF themselves. This |
could only be accomplished by my |
being tattOoed from head to foot. L |
objected, but to no avail. |
About 1900 of them surrounded me /
one day. They bound me and pro- ]
of comb, the teeth of which are made
OF sharks teeth, which are as sharp as
a razor. They insert this into mix
ture made from the juice OF the green
cocoanut, and which when inserted
into the flesh leaves a permanent
mark. The pain suffered while I'M
dergoing the operation was most ex-
and when L thought that
was so disfigured that should L ever
again reach civilization my own
mother wouldn't recognize me, l
prayed that death might end my suf-
ferings.
They succeeded in tattooing both
thighs from the knees up, and three
stripes on the right side, when one of
the number who went up into a cocoa
nut tree to get some nuts called out,
"Caaibukap Sail no!
Sail no! As if by magic they all ran
TO their huts to get mats and hats,
with which they were very proficient
in making, and which they traded for
tobacco. They are inveterate smOk-
ers. They inhale the smoke, which
produces a kind of intoxication. They
urged me to go with them, that L
might act as Interpreter. ! was not
loath to do so, as here l saw way of
from further tattooing opera
lions The vessel moved to be the |