The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-09-05
THE HAND OF DEATH TAKES HIS MEDICINE
CHOLERA OVERTAI[ES THOU
SANDS OF SOLDIERS.

Terrible Story of Disease and Death
From Borneo-Almost Entire Mill
tary Corps is Wiped Out by Cholera.
Details of a shocking military dsas-
| ter in the province OF SaraWak, BOr-
neo, have been received. Through the
awful ravages of cholera an entire mil
itary corps sent to punish The notori-
GUS head hunters of Borneo was wiped
out of existence. The full extent of
the ravages of the disease have not
been learned, but close onto 1900 corp
SEES had been found, and it was doubt
full if 1000 survivors of the entire eX-
pedilion of 10000 soldiers are alive.
For some time the head hunters had
been very active in the region above
the village of Lulug Hantz, on the Ba-
tang Luper river, ana it was decided
by the kaJah to send "a arge expedition
to punish the maurauulng bands. A
rendezvous was appointed at Simang-
gang, and hlther repaired the war
chiefs with their warriors. With them
strobe the gaunt sceptre of ravaging
disease.
The first intimation of the coming
disaster was received at Lingga, wnere
| certain of the cOningents were gather
ing before proceeding to Simanggang.
Cholera made its appearance and
claimed two Malay victims. This
warning was unneeded, however, and
the contingent marched to where the
other warriors were impatienuy wait
ing the order to embark on the expe-
dition. From Kuching the warning
was also given for one of the couriers
fell a victim of the disease. 1t is be-
| lieved now that the disease had begun
to spread in all of the various towns,
for after the expedition had started no
particular detachment seemed to be
without the disease.
Seven hunured boats carrying 10000
of the best soldiers OF the island start
ed up the Bantang Lupar river from
Simanggang, forming a veritabe
| stream of war vessels. During the first
two days two deaths occurred from
cholera, but this occurrence was
scarcely noticed by the rest of the
corps. During the following two days.
however, the disease began to spread
and from being abe to attack the viii
lagos of the head hunters, in large
force, the commanding warrior was
able to detach only about 1000 men as
a flying column to advance upon the
enemy. The experience of this flying
sman indeed compared to that was oc-
curing in the main camp behind Lhem.
| the nying column went to six villages
of the head hunters, drove the inhab-
itants away destroyed the huts, but
the hand of death was upon the SOL
dlers, and after the third day, their
ranks began to dwindle. Cholera was
upon them with all it's agony and all
it's speed. The columns FASTENED back
wit fIn ,Aairn OBJ Nff
of finding the relief thai they had ex-
pected, the few hundred survivors Of
the column saw more Irighttul ravages
of disease than they had ever imagin-
ed.
1t seems as if the instant the column
departed, the cholera arose in its fury
and attacked those who had remained
behind. From a dozen deaths. the first
day, the rate leaped to over two hun
dred the second, to five hundred the
third, and when the column reached
camp on the fourth day, close onto 12,-
600 of their comrades had died. Those
of the various contingents who could
escape did so. One by one the boats
put from the place Of death and were
driven down the river from any where
to escape from the plague cursed spot.
Lined along the banks of the river were
hundreds of corpses of the soldiers
| who had departed them in a vain eff
fort to fly from death. Groans of the
dying were heard from all sides, de-
serted boats strewed the edges of the
river, while in the current itself were
hundreds more of swollen bodies that
helped to pollute the atmosphere and
make the place vast district of
frightful death. Scarce a thousand
survivors reached Simanggang. Relief
parties We're dispatched in the hope Of
finding some survivors, but no reports
| had been received
The full extent of the ravages of the
disease can not be learned for many
| months. The few survivors who es-
| capped from the disease-infested-b boats
probably carried the cholera to sur
rounding villages where they are
thought to have struggled Although
| the column of soldiers sent to punish
| the head hunters was annihilated COM
pletely by sprange irony of fate, the
same age cry which accomplished their
downfall will revenge them upon the
cruel head hunters.
! Apparently unconscious of the dis
ease, or else Indifferent to it, bands of
| the head hunters were seen following
| along the banks of the river as the
survivors made their way to Simang-
gang and selling the CHASTITY trophies
of wars as they fell upon the helpless
dying hundreds, and but too kindly,
put an end to their misery by speedy
! decapitatiOn.
No efforts was made by the soldiers
| to stop the murder of their comrades
The sole thought of the entreating men
was to escape from the place of horror.
| That the disease will, took a speedy
| vengence on the cruel head hunters is
certain, and it is likely that scores of
their villages will be turned into char
nal houses by the dread cholera
ROYAL MENUS.
At all dinner parties given by the
| Prince and Princess nf Wales tho rnpnu