Evening journal., 1896-12-05
SAVAGE ISLANDERS.
THE NAN EATING NATIVES or THE
lSLRND OF cUADALCANAR.


Years Ago-Pcrsistent Mr.. woodford.
A few years ago the English and the
Germans divided tho beautiful group Of
the Solomon islands between themselves
and then looked around to see il their
new acquisition was really worth any
thing. They decided that the islands
were lovely TO the eye and good enough |
to keep, but that the natives were the |
widest and most untamablo savages |
they had ever met. 1t was all mans /
life was worth to venture among them. /
A gunboat or two have been kept in the /
neighborhood Of lato years, but these
have not prevented the head hunters and |
cannibals from looping of white |
mans head or every convenient occa-
sion.
The scene of the latest native exploit
is the large island of Guadalcanar. Sew
eral members Of an Austrian scientific
expedition, while climbing the noun
tain known as the Lions Head early in
August 1896, were attacked by the
bushmen or island natives. Five of the
party were killed and six were wound
ed, including two guides and some sail
ors. A simultaneous attack was made
upon the climbers and the small party
they had left in camp below. OF course
the natives were no match for guns,
and they were soon driven into the
bush, but not before they had inflicted
terrible loss. Among the killed was
Baron Won Norbeck.
The Lions head is in the very heart
of the island, being almost oquidistant
beween the sides and ends of Guadal-
canar. No white man had ever been
there before. No white man had ever
penetrated the interior before except
Mr.. G. M. Woodford and he went only
about 10 miles inland, ascending the
Aola river. Then he had TO turn back
for excellent reasons, in which tho ma
tives were concerned But we must not
forget poor Benjamin Boyd, who disap-
peared among the coast woods ard was
never seen again. lt is said that this
we'll to do Briton intended TO declare
the island annexed to his country on
the strength of his landing there. At
any rate he landed with his shotgun
and said he was going to shoot "A mess
of pigeons. and that was the last that
was ever seen Of poor Ben Boyd. For
some years presents were made 10 the
coast natives marked ''B. 3. and "Ben
Boyd, we are looking for you, but
nothing was ever heard of his fate.
The island is about 80 miles long
and 40 wide and it is one of the south
ern Solomons, in the British territory.
A large map has been made of it, chief
, ly white, for all that it shows is the
coasts, tho mouth of the rivers the
mountains that can be seen from tho
sea, and the two little rivers that Wood.
ford has explored All tho rost is blank.
Lions head is a prominent feature, and
/ it is estimated to be 0, 500 feet high
In 1856 Mr. Woodford attempted to
reach Lions head, but was prevented
! by the hostility Of these mountain
3 tribes who brought,tho Austrian party
to grief, and by the timidity OF his
guides. But be lived six months among
the coast natives at the littlo town Of
! Aola. By means Of most liberal pres
ents he made friends with the natives
/ there They never stole anything from
5 his hut, and he often induced them TO
accompany him on small trips into the
country.
The people living inland usually ran
, into the bush when they saw him COM
; ing, but their fears were allayod by his
native friends who would shout that
( he was good whito man who bought
S butterflies, birds, snakes and stone axes
D and measured the water Bat The plo-
pie of the mountains still farther in
land could not be molliidd and all lis
attempts to reach Lions head and the
, still higher mountain Of Lammas re-
suited in failure. The farther he and
his coast natives went up the river Aola
in their canoes the moro timid his os-
e cort became They rounded every bend
; in the river with spears poised and keep
! : ing a good lookout.
: Any white man on the coasts Of tho
. Solomon group must be constantly On
+. his guard. If no attempts to 90 inland
: and ascend mountain, his life is hard
0 ly worth purchasing oven though a
5 man-of.war may be lying in a neigh
J. boring harbor ready to burn dozen
villages if any harm is done. This is
the mistake tho Austrian party made.
= The natives are very superstitious about
i the mountain tops. Some dread object,
r a huge FISH or clam or devil, always
lives there, and woo will betide the
! whole island if his peace is disturbed.
/, Cannibalism is very common, and
bodies are hawked about for sale from
town to town. Not few white traders
and natives coming TO the Solomon is
lands on vessels have been killed solely
/, for their heads for al these natives,
like many other sayages in the Pacific,
i regard collection of human heads as a
treasure beyond price. Men-of-war al
ways visit the coast after these murders,
C but they are usually unable to capture
y the culprits, as the natives invariably
retire into the bush when they see q
S warship coming. Awhile ago the Eng
, lish did catch one Of the murderors.
They got together large crowd Of the
J, natives, and most impressively shot the
criminal, but no deep moral effect seems
= to have been produced.
"a