The herald., 1895-12-22
w. P. HarrisOn's Narrow Escape
From Death
THEY KILLED HIS COMRADES
Then Dragged Them Into the Bush and
Ate Them
Other Cruel Barbaritles - Harrison's Graphic
Story Of Numerous Deaths Caused
by the Head.Hunters

some narrow escapes in the Solomon ISL
ands. He pushed into some of the wilder
parts and fell in with the head-hunters,
and his partner and sailor, who had
gone down with them from Sydney, were
killed and eaten.
Many other people, among them over a
dozen white men, shared a similar fate
Just before and after Mr.. Harrison's ar
rival. He says that the natives are prac-
ticing cannibalism all the time, and that
no native is considered fairly in the swim
till he has taken head. This used to be
90 in the old times, as most people are
aware, but most of them have All idea that
the custom was now nearly obsolete. The
summer campaign OF the islanders, how
ever, has in every way, he says, been q
remarkably busy one.
He saw in some places as many as seven
ty-five heads in bunch. They were stacked
up over the canoe houses as trophies OF
prowess. The bodies we're eaten, in con-
formity with the long standing custom.
Mr.. Harrison has been absent from the
United States about year, and was in the
Solomon islands, from which he hast just
arrived. for three months.
III went down there from Sydney on the
lit3le coasting schooner Chittoor," said MIR.
Harrison at the Palace last mig Vt. land
cruised about, visiting many different
parts of the islands. Among the passen-
gers was Charles Atkinson, bright young
Englishm man, who became my friend and
companion in visiting different parts.
- here was also on board a sailor named
Flood, formerly of Philadelphia, with
whom we became acquainted. He was o
very good fellow, and after we had landed
at the native village of Rubiana we all
three became very good friends.
lone day II was proposed that we all go
aboard the little schooner Narova, that had
touched there, for a cruise up the island.
1t was agreed to. and we were all ready to
20 aboard. My baggage was already on
the vessel, when at the last minute de-
cided not to 60.
~ did not like the look of things. had
been advised by a white man at Rubiana
not to risk it, as the natives were especi-
ally dangerous where the little craft pro-
posed to go. 1t was too late for me to get
my baggage off. so l let it 60. 1t was q
lucky thing did.
"Tha night, ten miles from Rubiana,
while the little schooner was tied up. the
natives came aboard and killed everybody,
and Atkinson, Flood and the rest were
killed while they were sleeping on the
deck. Then tho natives stole all the goods,
rified the baggage, and finally dragged the
bodies to the bush and ate them.
"Just before the two white men who had
been wrecked near the same place were
also killed and eaten.
"Besides these, twelve Solomon island
boys, who had been working in one of the
colonies and who were on their way
home, were landed at the wrong village
and were killed and eaten by warning
tribe.
"Early in September an attack was
made on another schooner, some of those
aboard being killed. l was in twenty or
more different places, and everywhere
went saw evidences of cann;balism.
80. ALL .,.sx. l.:
at night and treat you the best kind. He
will never modest you there on the score of
hospitality, and you can remain there and
be perfectly safe. Nevertheless, the next
dag after you start away, he is just as
liable as not to overtake you and knock
you on the mead with his club. The social
ethics are then Off, if it may be considered
that being boiled in the head-taker's pot is
not a social affair.
"They are very bad people, and I find
them very necessary to watch. l, how
ever, learned to eat the native food, and in
general enjoyed it very we'll. I had pre-
viously been initiated in some of the island
modes of living by staying for awhile in
Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia and other
wilder islands.
"The.Solomon islander found by far the
worst of all. They are nothing like so
handsome, being hard-featured and show
ing in every way that they are warlike
the Solomon islands, while the native pop
ulation is supposed to be about 1O0, 900.
As to that, however, no one can actually
tell.
"There are whole tribes in the interior
that no white man has ever seen. This is
learned through natives at the coast.
~ went down to the Pacific islands
largely for pleasure, but intending to do
some literary work while absent. l had
worked very hard while in Chicago and
wanted good rest. The island life is 80
peculiar that fell in with island ways and
did not work at all.
II discarded all clothes, except a native
garment about my loins, and let my beard
grow long till / got back to Sydney. While
going naked the sun burned my back till it
became exceedingly sore and the skin
peeled OFF in patches. Finally it healed
up and got as hard and as impervious to
the suns rays as that of any native.
II went about as much rs l dared on the
islands, and much more than would do
again. 1t is down there as it was once on
the western plains and mountains with the
Indians. You get accustomed to the dam
ger and don't always think so much about
1t as you ought. l wouldn't go through
again what have this time for anything
In the world.
! ~ saw in some places as many as sew
enty-f1ve skulls in place, all relics of the
head-liunters There were many places
where such lots of skulls could be seen.
The more heads brave had taken the
higher he was esteeme |. They hold the
heads in the same .stiinatioU as an Indian
does his scalps. They add renown to him
according to the number he has. As long
as this state OF feeling prevails 1t can be
seen that it will not stop.
"Anpway, if any civilized power set out
to stop it, l don't see how it could be
done. No one can track them to their
camp in the bush. 1t would be too dam
gerous, even If pursuers knew how to do it..
"The weapons OF the savages are very
formidable. They use long war clubs.
which are fitted into rounded pieces of
granite. and murderous blades that will
fetch OIL head at a single blow. Worse
than those by far are the poisoned arrows,
which are so deadly rs to cause instant de-
struction. collected many barbarous
relics. | have knives and swords with
human bones for handles. They were
easily got, for they were very plentiful
also got many other articles, including
articles of wearing apparel. but these are
very simple contrivances, for in general
the -olomun Islanders, male and female,
60 stark naked.
IL also spent considerable time during
my absence in the interior of Samoa.
slept night after night with Malietoa, Ia
masese and other chieitains. They told
me great deal about their trouble. My
opinion is there will be another war there,
and it may come soon. The correspond
ents at Apia don't give the facts. They
can't know them. They do not go into
the interior, and a man in Alaska might
just as we'll be quoted on what was going
on in the United States.