Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-17
SAVAG[S A|E ENEMIES.
Shocking Story Of Cannibalism
Brought From the New
Hebrides Islands.
Islanders Feasted on Their Enc
mics. Whom They Had
Taken Prisoners.
One Victim Buried Alive. Elk.
humed. Cooked and Eaten
Australian News.

Victoria, B. c., April 1.-THE
steamer Moana, which reached port
yesterday from Sydney, via the South
Sea ports of calL brought details of
tribal wars, cannibalism, earthquakes,
tidal waves, plague, and other affairs
in the South Seas. The steamer Mann
bare had just returned to Sydney,
from the New Hebrides, just prior tc
the departure of the Moana, and ac-
cording to the report furnished by
her purser, the steamers company
found on their arrival at Tanna that a
big cannibalfstic feat was being held
by the natives.
The natives had secured q number
of prisoners In a raid on the villages
er reached port, some distance fror1
the native village, they were eating
some of the unfortunates who had been
captured or killed in the tribal engage
ment.
Some of the prisoners We're brought
to the fire alive. and after they had
seen some of their unfortunate fellow
beings roasted for the feast they We're
slaughtered before the assembled COM
pany. During the feast one of the ma
tives who had ben buried alive and
had been beneath the ground for
twelve days was exhumed and cooked
and eaten with the rest The passen-
gers and officers of the inter-island
steamer did not go to the scene of the
cannibal feast, which was still in pro-
gress when they left.
The Rev. F. l.. H. Patton, the ven
cradle missionary, who has been in the
New Hebrides for nearly half cen
fury, and who visited the United
States about two years ago, had q
narrow escape from being killed dur
ing one Of the forays of the fighting
tribes. There was big fight at the
village near Tanna, which was at
tackled, and in battle which took
place in the bush near the village, both
tribes fighting with knives and spears,
fifty-one natives We're left on the field
dead and q large number were wound
ed, many being carried off by both
parties for the feast. The Rev. Mr.
Patton went to the scene and visited
the field where the two tribes were
fighting. and engaged in the work of
attending to the wounded at the risk
of his life. He was bending over two
wounded natives, one of them a wo-
man, when several spears were hurled
at him by the attacking tribe, but for
tunately none struck him. He then
left the field and. took refuge at Tanna.
Severe earthquake shocks, which
caused high tidal waves, are reported to
have caused much loss of life in the
New Hebrides group. Missionaries re-
ported that the shocks had emptied
their bookcases and overturned furni-
ture, and that several houses had, been
destroyed. A large number of the huts
of the natives were also destroyed. and
when the tidal wave came, following
the shocks, the waters rose on some of
the islands to height of five feet,
swept away many huts, and drowned
many people. Planters lost heavily.
There Is excitement in Queensland as
result of the transfer of the pearl in
dustry carried on by the Queensland
companies to the Dutch flag, as a re-
suit of the restrictions imposed by the
commonwealth. The principal trouble
is the drawing of the color line and the
immigration restrictions. In Torres
straits the largest employers are James
Clark & Co.. who have $50 men. They
complain of the federal laws for
white Australia, which prevent them
indenturing divers from Japan, Manila
and the Malay peninsula as heretofore
These people largely have carried on
the trade in Queensland waters. and
without them the industry would be
badly crippled. The harvest annually
represents over s1,0o0,000, from which
the government has revenue of $780,
900. There was an agreement between
Queensland and Japan allowing 200
japanese to enter. The Australian gov
eminent has to continue this or the
pearlers will transfer to Maranke, In