The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1908-06-18
BY Eugene Schroeder.

80 FNA0SA 5S VIVA
the terrible fate which the Rev. Alex
ander Mclaughlin has recently met
by the hand OF the cannibals in the
Solomon islands, we are giving here
an account OF q not less stirring trag-
edy which occurred in the Admiralty
islands. the details of which have
never until now reached this country.
! To the northeast Of the mighty ISL
and Of New Guinea, under the second
degree, south latitude, and between
the 146th and 148th degree, east longi-
tude, lies the small but picturesque
group of the Admiralty islands. Far
removed from the highway Of sea
traffic, 1t Is as a rule visited only
about every four months by some Of
the trading vessels Of the Bismarck
archipelago, which call there in order
to gather the copra, or dried. kernel,
Of cocoanuts, that in the meantime
has been collected by the lonely white
trader who is stationed in these ISL
ands, and of which product the islands
are very aboundant.
With their luxuriant tropical vege-
tation and the enormous quantity Of
graceful palm trees which fringe the
coasts, these mountainous islands Of
fer a glorious aspect to the newcomer
from the sea. Here and there a cosy
village. peeps out from among the
beautiful palms of the verdant foliage
Of the bushes, and the curly-haired ma
tives may be seen lying idly around
on the beach or following their favor
lite occupation Of fishing. Eternal
peace seems to reign over these beau
tiful regions, and no one gazing for
the first time at this enchanting pic
ture of peace and beauty, could mag
Inc that under this charming and en-
tranoing cloak lies hidden a real in
ferno of savagery; no n who is not
acquainted with the habits of these
seemingly in%ofensive and we'll featur-
ed natives of the group would suppose
that they were guilty Of the most
monstrous and barbarous crimes ever
committed, and that they are addict
ed to the habits so shocking that the
pen hesitates to describe them.
And yet such is the case. The eight
hundred aboriginal inhabitants Of
these islands must doubtless be plac-
ed in the first rank wherever atroci-
ties Of the South sea are referred to.
During the twenty-three years that
the northern part of New Guinea and
the Bismarck archipelago have been
under the control Of the German gov
eminent the natives Of the Admiralty
group have at innumerable times
treacherouslyA attacked, butchered and
eaten ships crews and captains, and
have so frequently foully massacred
the white traders who were living
among them that they became a
steady source of trouble and anxiety
to the authorities. Expedition after
expedition has been sent out against
their indomitable savage nature broke
through, until at present the number
Of their victims cannot be equaled by
those CT all the islands of the archipel-
ago and German New Guinea COM
bined, with the exception Of New
Britain, which stands first on account
Of it's numerous white population.
/ T.. - Liz 1d6Suy WAASA put on oOAupS
and horrible end to the promising life
Of o. Metzke, then trader and planter,
happened, OF the largest island Of the
group, Manus by name, on which was
built the trading station of the firm
Of Hernscheim e. Co., and Of which
Messrs. fMetzke and Molde we're in
charge. The latter, having Temperate
II, 1of& f1o island copon Po,yr months
previous in order to r%ecuperate, his
health having given way under the
constant strain Of the tropical cline,
was expected to return with the newt
vessel. Accordingly Mr. Metzke was
left alone to the mercy Of the canni-
balls.
In combination with the trading
business this gentleman managed an
extensive %cocoanut plantation, which
surrounded the station, and which
was laid out on ground legally bought
from the natives. It may be that the
natives had misunderstood, or at least
not quite comprehended, the real
meaning of the land sale, or maybe
and this seems more probable-they
| WSIS lily AOA6AA6 ~ oA OoPSSAoAJ
promising c~annibalistic feast; any
way, they suddenly broke off all APP
parently friendly relations which had
hitherto existed between them and the
white man. Instead they adopted a
hostile attitude toward him who had
always been their generous master
and be%nefactor. @
This happened just at the time
when the arrival of the ship with
which Molde would return was daily
expected. On the fatal evening the
lonely trader was walking to and fro
on the broad, open veranda which adj
| Joined his house, that was standing
under the shadow Of the magnificent
palm trees surrounding it. From time
to time he was sending a long and
anxious gaze over the quiet sea,
straining his eyes while searching the
horizon for the semblance Of a sail.
He was a man Of unusual fine appear
The Wherefore.
'He refuses to join the actors