The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-09

ing and jumping as if possessed Sud-
denly the music ceased the dancers paus-
ed, deathlike stiffness prevailed. The lead
ing dancer was given mixture Of palm
wine and camphor 10 refresh her, she
danced again sIill more wildly until she
fell exhausted 10 the ground. where she
lay repeating visions Of victory on ne
morrow.
A Prisoner Among Maneaters.
''At the village of LontOng l was made
a prisoner, along with carriers. The
chief had been very friendly when we
first appeared, and we had no means OF
knowing why he had made us capuves,
but the prospect was very discoura aging.
From where 1 was seated in the native
hui which served as a prison, and which
was guarded by two stalwart blacks arm
ed with jagged war clubs, I could over
hear an earnest discussion going on
among the warriors who had gathered
short distance away. The guide who was
beside me told me that they We're discuss
ing the fate of their prisoners, and as
the babble of Conversation went on he
interpreted such remarks as We must
overcome them While they sleep, slay and
eat them 1t is needless 10 say such d
prospect was sufficient to Danish every
thought of sleep. The guide informed me
that there were two parties to the discus
sion; one wished to kill and eat Is and
the other 10 let US pass. We had no means
of knowing which would prevail and we
sat all night with our seven guns loaded
and ready for instant use, and our pistols
by our sid :. There was a tumult in the
carly morning, and We gripped the guns
ready to sell our lives as dearly as pos
sible. There were cries of The enemy.
the enemyr and soon it appeared that
neighboring tribe had attacked the village
carrying off two of its women. A little
10 chief called and said .
What if we keep you to work in our
fields for a year or two? l answered:
You would not do such a thing and to
prove that I did not fear him, l gave the
chief a handsome pistol, which delighted
his savage heart and apparently restored
him to the greatest friendliness. Seeing
that I had made an impression, 1 added
If you dare to touch a hair of our heads,
our brothers will come and kill all of you
The chief Immediately declared that he
had no intention of injuring me, that, in
fact, ne took me under his protection.
Still 1 did not trust him, and toward
evening. when he summoned another coun-
sci of his followers, 1 noticed that he was
lingering the pistol which had given him
in manner anything but reassurirS 8.
[ at once approached HAM and said,
through the Interpreter:
prince of LontOng we sec through your
dark designs and black plans. We fear
YOU not. we are ready 70 Slet blN SOu
will die with US. What is your answer
1.-The chief replied: Il am sick; let me
go home
4 said: No you must sit here until
you decide to let us 60. This he decided
to do early in the morning, and although
stripped of a great part of my belongings,
l was glad enough to get away alive, and
kept the guns ready until had put good
distance between myself and the village.
THE next tribe that We fell in with
was the one I had come so far to study.
They received me good naturally, because
their chief had just overcome the head of
rival tribe, and they had enjoyed a
great feast.
These natives in the interior of Su-
matra are, 1 believe, as degraded canni-
balls as ever lived. A man will steal upon
an enemy when he is asleep and, with a
sharp, scimitar-like sword, strike off his
head at a single blow. Then he viii strip
the head of flesh and bury it ON some
trail, so that even the friends of the dead
man will step upon him and lose his
good will in the other world Afterward
the skull is dug up and kept as a trophy
the rank of each prince being fixed &C
cordng to the number of skulls he can
display.