The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-08

tempted out of doors to see what IA burn
ing. On such occasions they are likely to
be killed. IVY their unseen enemies
II is remarkable that the traders take
their wives and children to these islands.
Not a few white families are living along
these coasts The women and children
lead no easy lives. for they are engaged
most of the day in spreading cocoanut
meat for drying or helping the men folk
in many other ways. Rbbe says not a
white woman there is surpassed by the men
in pluck and courage
Every woman carries a revolver. Tor the
women are in as much dgnger AZ the men
Now and then hey ar. confronted with
situations which require quick thought aud
action The writer gives a number OF in
stances of the courage with which the
women and even little girls meet danger.
One day two traders named Macdonald
of Munia Island started on business trip
along the coasts of Bougainyille, leaving
their wives and daughters in the newly built
cabins which were not yet provided with
doors or windows. A few nights later a
twelve-year-old girl was awakened by
smoke blowing through the house.
She thought the natives were up to mis-
chief and picking up her revolver and
awakening her ten-year-od sister she stole
softly TO the doorway Pushing aside the
cloth that hung before it the two girls dimly
saw several black figures crouohed few
feet from the house waiting for some OF the
inmates to appear Tho elder girl fired the
revolver. wounding black and frightening
the Others away.
The Solomon Islanders not only kill
strangers. but also cheerfully eat them I
the opportunity occurs. Most. but not all
Of the natives are inveterate maneaters.
They 90 on expeditions for no other
purpose than to secure victims for the
cooking pot and as they greatly prefer
TO celebrate their cannibal feasts at home
they sometimes tie captiyes hand and foot
to long poles which are borne on the shout
ers Of the vctors many. miles TO their own
settlements, so that their families and
friends may share the feast
Mr. Rihbe tells Of a white victim Of can
nibalism He was one OF those white wan
derers among the islands who are a little
peculiar and lead very strange lives.
This man. an Australian. was old and
little wrong in his head. One day he de-
cided to 60 to Bagga, an uninhabited island
in the solomon group and spend the re-
mainder Of his life in solitude He said he
wac tired Of civilization and wished 10 live
and 10 die alone
He bought materials for little house
and such implements and furnishings as
he required nd sailed on a trading schooner
for lonely Bagga. He put his house together
in 1885, and in the course Of time he had
well titled garden, many hens and num-
Der Of pigs, which he hadraised frc m thetew
brought with him.
The old man was often warned that
though his island was uninhabited il might
be visited any day by cannibals, who would
doubtless kill him. He -aid he believed the
natives would respect his white hairs and,
anyway. he was not afraid.
But his confidence was misplaced, for
he was killed and eaten One day Capt
f. Pratt who had heard that natives had
been seen padding over to Bagga, went to
the island and found that he had comet forty
eight hours too late.
The house had been pundered and it
WIS easy to identify the spot where the old
man had been killed. In thoIe days war
ships very seldom visited tho islands and
the murderers never paid the penalty for
their o-ime.