The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-07
USED CHAINS IN CANNON.
Old Sea Captain Quickly Brought
Cnnnibals to Terms.
from the New York Tribune

From the New I Ofk tribune.
Edgartown, notwithstanding fea-
lures of the Island of Martha's Vine
yard, of which this is the county seat,
are the relics of old whaling days. OF
these relics the most interesting are
the old captains Of the whaling ships,
comparatively few of whom now are
left. Each year many of them are
gathered to their fathers, and in a few
years they will be no more. One of
the most picturesque of the old skip
pers is Capt Cyrus Manter of West
Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard.
Fifty years ago, when the New Bed
ford whaleships made voyage of three
or four years, it was necessary for
them to visit the different groups of
islands in the Pacific Ocean to, replen-
ish their stock of water and wood and
to get fresh meats Capt. Manter is
every ready to tell OF his experience on
one of these calls at port, when he
bombsrded a town and held a canni-
bal chief as a hostage for few hours.
FIN about the year 1889" said the
captain, in telling the story, Il was
master of the ship Europa, $50 tons,
which sailed from .Edgartown, and
was cruising between seasons in the
Pacific before going north in the
spring. 1t was getting along toward
the last of the season, and we were
in need of water and fresh meat, so
/ decided to touch at Magdalena. The
Island of Ma gdalena is the most
southern island of the Marquesas
group, situated just south of the Sand
witch Islands. There is a range of
mountains over the island, and tribes
of natives inhabit both sides. These
tribes were at war with each other at
the time. After a battle the winning
tribe would gather UP their dead VIC
Tins and roast and eat them and have
a great celebration over the victory.
eve sighted the islands and came in
at the mouth of a small bay, at the
head OF which was village. The
houses were made of bamboo and had
thatched roofs, the chiefs house being
prominent among the huts. AS soon as
the ship anchored the natives would
come off in canoes around it, anxious
for trade and to see if water was want
ed. There was a white man in the ca
noe with the chief, and he acted as in
terpreter. He had been there some time
with the natives. and they did not kill
him as they wanted him for their In
terpreter.
"As the natives were cannibals. IL
was not safe to go ashore, so we pro-
ceeded to make a bargain for three
hundred barrels Of water We were to
raft the casks part Of the way ashore
then the natives were to take them
ashore. fill them and swim them out
through the breakers, where our boats
were to take them in tow and bring
them to the ship. This was to be done
by the natives for one keg OF powder
The water was about all aboard-only
one more raft to get-so 1 and another
captain, who was in there at the time,
left the ships to go to another bay,
where the natives were more friendly,
and we could land for trading purposes.
/ left orders with the mate to get the
rest of the water while l was gone.
IL had not been at the bay long De-
fore saw one of my boats coming and
being rowed very fast. The crew had
the following story. which they told ex-
citedly. They said the boat steerer
went in with the last raft of casks for
water and had let his boat land. No
sooner had he done so than he found
boat, crew and all being carried up the
beach toward the bushes. The crew
jumped out and ran for their lives, but
the natives were too much pleased with
the boat and whale gear to chase far.
The men came out on a point Of rocks
by the ship, and were taken aboard In
very excited condition.
80 l went back aboard the ship and
found the story true. The natives were
much elated with their prize, and sup
posed they would not be molested. But
they had not only the boat, but all
The whale gear and the raft NJ casks,
and did not propose TO go away and
leave them. I had one cannon aboard
and got another from the other ship.
These mounted IN a convenient place,
made cartrides of considerable strength
OF powder. and creased the guns wei
inside. We had plenty OF old chain
that we cut up into pieces Of two or
three links In a piece. These we put
in on a good charge OF powder. Now,
with the guns all ready, we hauled
the ship pretty close in toward the
village, broadside too. The natives
were making preparations for a hght.
supposing we were going ashore. but
VIC intended to give them a surprise
party from the deck--something they
knew nothing about. as they knew
nothing about big guns. We pointed
the cannon at the chiefs house that
was near a lot Of cocoanut trees. and
near which the natives had congre-
gated, all creased with cocoanut oil
and ready for battle.
one, two three, hyeN Bang went
the cannon, and away went the gable