Evening journal., 1896-07-18
/ TITLED BRIDEGROOM
King Of the Cannibal Islands
VIII Wed In New York.
IS A NATIVE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

S'""'Pe"eu 'he OonNention-COmes lack
to BE Married.
NEw YORK, July Is. Tho King Of the
cannibal islands is in town. He isn't a
splendid specimen Of savage manhood or
anything of that sort, but Just a plain,
ordinary American citizen, with broad
shoulders, large limbs dark, frank eyes
and kindly, honest face He is Colonel
John f. Hobbs native of Lexington
county. ;. c., later of sydney and lastly
ounIalea, or emperor, of the Ilika islands
oil the New Hehrides group. His kingdom
is In tho South Pacific ocean, 200 miles
east Of Australia
Tho Oumalea is going to marry, before
be leaves this city, Miss Ella Collin, the
daughter OF Mr.. F. Collin, whose home is
at 371 Fourth avenue this city.
When reporter called on the king of
the cannibal islands, he was agreeably sur
prised to find him mild voiced and soft
spoken, without the slightest trace of the
professional adventurer in his manner.
~ was sent out in 1880 by the Austria
lian government, he said, Ito investigate
the working of the new labor law. White
men, Papuans, Javanese-all sorts of la
borers-had been tried in the new sugar
fields Of Australia, but none was worth
having but the men from the New Hebri
des group. They are tall, well made, sad
die colored follows, with curly black hair.
The contractors were careless in re-
turning them to their island homes after
their terms of service in the caneflelds,
and, as the islands differ in the language
spoken on them and all persons speaking
a strange language are regarded as enc
mics great numbers of the returned la
borers were killed and eaten by cautious
tribes as matter Of safety. Under the
new law each iaborer was to be sent back
to his own king and his own island, lati-
tude and longitude so and so, TO prevent
his being eaten. l was sent out to report
on how that law was being kept by the
contractors.
shipwreclSed, Then Crowned.
"Our little 60 ton schooner was caught
in hurricane one night, and at o'clock
in the morning word was passed, Every
man for himself l fastened cork jacket
over my pajamas and jumped overheard.
4 For two days drifted, and then 1 was
i picked up almost dead by two fishermen
4 from the Ilika islands. They were 20
s miles offshore. If l had landed on their
island, would have been killed and eaten
as an enemy, but, being white and coming
.
n the horizon, they regarded me as a mys-
q terious messenger from God. They took
81 me before the king, who adopted me.
1.-The Ilikans had been preparing for
war for long time, They expected hos
.ile visit from o neighboring nation.
persuaded the king to let me form an am
bush, something entirely new to him.
Our scouts, acting under orders, retreated
up ravine before the enemy. Wren we
had them all entrapped we fell on them
from all sides and soon had them beaten.
The king was so delighted with this new
bit Of strategy that he appointed me a
# war chief forever.
"As for the invaders, thoy asked us to
& send them home in our boats--a sign that
q hey acknowledged complete defeat and
would remain forever after our inferior
riends.
Not long after this French man-of-
var stepped at our. .isand and hung out a
rading signal. As many Of our people
< vent aboard, went too / demanded to
% taken away, but the Frenchnen paid
10 attention to me. They ordered all rhe
nen ashore and told the women to remain.
rhe men refused to 60 and the French
nen shot three of them dead. The rest
we're drivon overheard at the point Of the
layoBet Tho women were carried away,
ssaulted by the Frenchmon and sold to
SANDERS hundreds OF miles away, after
Yard heard.
ITO get revenge for this the Ilikans
oaxed ashore a boatload of men from the
ext ship th0t came by and promptly kill.
4 and ate them. They happened to be
,nglishmen, and In due time a warshiI
yas sent to shell the Ilikans out of theiI
illage by way of punishment. l sent out
flag of truce and under It explained tC
le British commandant why the men
ere killed. He did not she'll our village
a reward for this the king made me q
yreat war chief in perpetuity, and all
heirs forever.
He Didn't Refuse.
"About nine months after my arrival
nong the Ilikans the king died, leaving
heir The chiefs held hodakai OF
Invention, to name his successor. As ht
ad no heir the choice lay between Raho
puma, the head of the warriors, and
liza, the oLief of the lawmakers. II either
le were elevated to the kingship, civil
rife was bound to follow.
& 'sRahokOuma turned 20 his fellow states
en- and said, Since the Great White
brit has sent this white man to us and
has helped us in battle, let us max,
m our Oumalea.
"There was great applause at this, Ant
well, was too good Democrat to TO
Sc the nomiration. was elected by ao
amation.
Il left tho Ilikan islands few months
{. er that, but / have spent three OF -four
onths among my adopted people nearly
cry year since then. The government /.
hlly carried on by Rahokouma and ALA
b 81. am the king, but they practically rule
people About all have done is L
ep out all foreigners from the Ilikans
ey are fine, honest, manly race, with
,ny virtues.
Selishness they consider the1nost helm
sin. In times OF need even the kine
lst share with the poorest man. He ma,
5z spp enough FOR himself, but to withhold
re than that would be selfish. No mar
' have more than one wife, becaus,
q. ygamy would give a great supply O.
IS yes to a few Selfish men and leave tn,
bers wifeless.
Thav used to be cannibals Thev at,