The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-02

the possibility of foul play. but he pooh
poohed their suspicious. At any rate the
Penrhyn Islanders told a consistent story.
on landing, Sustenance met the Paumotu
woman, Kokorarid wife of the Manahi-
khan Here. Her story was to the effect
that in February the three beachcombers
had painted the boat and made a new sail.
They had taken the cask filed with drink
ing water and a large supply of dried eggs
of the sea fowl which swarm on the
islands, together with a variety of food in
the shape of fresh and baked cocoanuts.
The boat had been leaky. but was tight
after the new painting. They had sailed
away to the west, and before shutdown
were out of sight. AS they had left their
wives behind, she was sure that they in
tended to take ship In Samoa and go to
their own lands beyond the horizon. They
had taken all their trade goods. except
one bolt of printed goods, which they had
divided among the Penrhyn divers.
For a savage this woman seems to have
had genius for lying. The other people
agreed with her account, and the island,
when carefully searched. yielded no indi-
cation in the way of goods or stores that
the woman had told other than the truth.
For the following fortnight the Manahi-
kians and the Penrhyns were on the Dart
on the homeward voyage back to Penrhyn,
and not a word or a sign gave rAason 10
suspect that the story was false.
Some weeks later Sustenance touched in
the course of trade at Rakahanga, and
there again encountered the woman Ko-
korariki. She asked at once II he had
heard of Joe and Tamu. Apparently much
concerned when she heard that they
had not reached Samoa she asked in what
direction Pukapuka bore and when the
shipmasteT pointed down to the west, she
seemed much relieved, and suggested that
the beachcombers had probably reached
that island.
Yet in her original story and in this re-
neWed interest in the voyage Of the beach
combers Kokorarlki was but playing
leading part In a tissue of fabrication
which was sufficiently good to deceive
Sustenance, and 1t may be said that II Is
by no means easy TO pull the wool over the
eyes of a South Sea trader.
The three beachcombers had been muir
dered on Suvarrow in the presence OF this
woman and every other person on the ISL
and. and Kokorarih herself had planned
the consistent story which had cleared
them all from suspicion. The story came
out by the confession of the wife of Tamu,
that Is, Tom Charlton. the American,
which she made to Tairi. the native mis-
slonary teacher on Rakahanga.
For some time after the last visit which
Sustenance made at Suvarrow the people
busted themselves about their several oc-
cupations Tamu and his Manahikians
fshed and cured the beche-de-mer, Joe
and the PenThyn Islanders worked at the
beds of pearl shell, and jules seems to
have diversified his chief occupation of
doing nothing by spells of watching the
others at work He was well liked by the
islanders. So was Charlton. But Joe
Bird acted as the superior being Is so apt
to do when living among the islanders.
He brought two women from Penrhyn TO
Suvarrow with him, and while there he
took away the wives of three of his divers.
He was not choice in his woong, for IL
was proved that when he wanted TO take
a woman he hogged her with a piece of
rope or the tail of a stngaree until her
consent was won. A common threat
when any of his divers proved refractory
was that he would cut them in two and
would eat their lVers, and when one Is
cannibal such a threat does not seem as
improbable as it might appear in other
conditions In life. Often he deprived his
divers of their rations and water when
their take of shell was not up to the
amount he fixed for days task. The
divers plotted to take their revenge upon
him, and saw clearly that they must make
away with the other white men at the
same time.
The opportunity came early one morning.
Joe Bird missed some cocOanutS from his
nit. He went first to Tom Charltons and
questioned the Manahiklans as to the
theft This was no more than a matter Of
form. for no one would ever suspect a
Mammalian of theft Receiving their de-
NAL in good part Joe took his gun ana
sword and strolled over to the quarters
of his divers. The various people on the
island were engaged in various concernn.-
Kokoraiki was cooking a bird for break
fast. Here's wife was attending her sick
husband at lomlomi, the effective South
Sea massage The other Msnahikans had
lust started out after beche-de-mer. Tom
With pistol and sword hurried after Joe
Bird. and after him came Jules Faranl
with a sword. Arrived at the houses OF
the divers Joe charged their head man
Tanglroa, with stealing the cocoanuts ana
fired the gun over his head. Then ne
grappled with Tangroa and called to Tom
for help. Tom ran up and got hold of
Tangiora's hand and snapped his pistol
at him. II missed fire and he recapped IT,
takina the fresh cap from a little chamber
in the butt Of the weapon As he aimed a
second time savage named Maori caught
him by the hand whereupon Tom knocked
him down by a blow in the eye. Bur
as he fell Maori caught Tom by the feet
and threw him with the assistance of Tan
giroa. and these two then disarmed him
and tied his hands and feet. Meanwhile
a savage named Rapahua seized Joe Bird
and threw him down and with the help
Of Tangitoro dashed his hands. Farani had
no firearms, but he came on a run with
the aid Of Popokia and Natoto, tied the