Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-01-16
SAVAGE ISLANDERS.
THE MAN EATING NATIVES OF Til!
ISLAND OF GUADALCANAR.


Hostile Mountain Tribes That Prevent the
Exploration of Territory That the Span
ish Discovered Over Three Hundred
Years Ago-Persistent Mr.. woodford.
Germans divided the beautiful group of
the Solomon islands between themselves
and then looked around to see if 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 untamable 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 late years, but these
have not prevented the head hunters and
cannibals from looping off white
mans head on 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, We're 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 equidistant
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 Is miles inland, ascending the
Aola river. Then he had to turn back
for excellent reasons, in which the ma
tives were concerned. But we must not
forget poor Benjamin Boyd, who disap-
peared among the coast woods and was
never seen again. 1t 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 to the
coast natives marked ''B. B." and ''Ben
Boyd, we are looking for you," but
nothing was ever heard of his fate.
The island is about so 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, the mouth of the rivers, the
mountains that Can be seen from the
sea, and the two little rivers that Wood
ford has explored. All the rest is blank.
Lions head is a prominent feature, and
it is estimated to be $500 feet high.
In 1886 Mr.. Woodford attempted to
reach Lions head, but was prevented
by the hostility of these mountain
tribes, who brought the Austrian party
to grief, aud by the timidity of his
guides. But he lived six months among
the coast natives at the little town of
Aola. By means of most liberal pres
ents he made friends with the natives
there. They never stole anything from
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 allayed by his
native friends, who would shout that
he was a good white man who bought
butterflies, birds, snakes and stone axes
and measured the water. But the peo-
pie of the mountains still farther in
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 more timid his es-
cort became. They rounded every bend
in the river with spears poised and keep
ing good lookout.
Any white man on the coasts of the
Solomon group must be constantly on
his guard. If he attempts to 60 inland
and ascend mountain, his life is hard
ly worth purchasing, even though a
man-of.war may be lying in neigh
boring harbor ready to burn a dozen
villages if any harm is done. This is
the mistake the Austrian party made.
The natives are very superstitious about
the mountain tops. Some dread object,
huge fish Or clam or "a devil, always
lives there, and woe 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 all these natives,
like many other savages in the Pacific
regard collection of human heads as a
treasure beyond price. Men'of-war al
ways visit the coast after these murders,
but they are usually unable to capture
the culprits, as the natives invariably
retire into the bush when they see a
warship coming. Awhile ago the Eng
lish did catch one of the murderers.
They got together a large crowd of the
natives and most impressively shot the
criminal, but no deep moral effect seems
to have been produced.
In 1888 Mr.. Woodford again visited
the islands, and again he failed to reach
the mountains of Guadalcanar. The