The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-04-03

not long ago that has thrills al! its own It's
klifrereni-that's all. The Soo:nons be II known
hare one Of the few places where the hihG Oh 'he
hannibal Islands" still reigIs and does business at
ithe old stand. OF course none of the natives III
duga openly i'm Long Pig; the white man sees
ito that But back in the bush it is still about as
wild as it ever was and the white man cant
watch the savaees all the time. And the appetite
and the taste still persist in the Solomon Islands
Savage
Also back in the bush the petty king takes unto
himself many wives as he wants, in the good
tOItl-fashoned way of the Solomon islands-may
he that's where they get the name. And natural
Hy king with white wife in his collection would
be some punkins-which is where Mrs. Johnson
lcobies into the story. AS for Mr.. Johnson EVIL
Identity the kettle hasn't been cast that can con-
vert him into cannibalistic titbit
Johnson's home is in Independence. Kan. but
he is seldom there because there is adventure in
his blood and he cannot stay long in place.
;Harking back few years. he was with Jack Lon
don on che famous cruise of the Shark. Forever
after there was nothing to the sedentary life OF
the ordinary American for him. He had to roam,
and the region that has presented the greatest
lure for him is the Solomon islands.
Like many another woman. his wife, Osa did
not discover until after her marriage exactly what
sort of man her husband really was. She as
isumed that she had married an enterprisng young
business man whose passion for photography need
give her no alarm. She knew, of course that he
had been friend of the late Jack London but
now, when he displayed such proper, newly
wed interest in the rugs and furniture and cur
tains of the new little home in Independence, was
the poor girl to guess that one fine day her spouse
would decide that he just must go adventuring
In the South seas again?
When he made the announcement about six
months ago, however Mrs. Johnson decided she
was bound TO be pal and hlpmeet or die in the
attempt so she decided to go along. And thus
IT came tn pass that u few weeks later, in what
is known as the big Numbers district. home of
the fiercest race of cannibals at present in exis
tence Mr. and Mrs. johnson were risking their
lives to obtain photographs of these people. They
are said to be the first white people ever to en-
ter into this district and come away.
From the moment of Jolnsons landing in the
New Hebrides and the white people became aware
of his mission he was warned against making
photographs of the savage natives of the large
Island Of MaleI,ula, but the stories he heard only
made him want to photograph these people all the
more II was with the idea of being close to this
island that he visited the small island of Vac and
made arrangements TO stop with an American
missionary located there and wait his chance.
Every day for week he watched for some
schooner. His intention was to make arrange
lments with the captain to take him to the Big
Numbers district, - miles from Vac. on the other
: side of the island of iMalekua. But no schooner
+ came along and he grew restless, for he wanted
the pictures Finally he secured Il whaeboat be
longing to trader and persuaded five semi
tcivil;zed cannibais- of Vac island to go along as
crew
Right here is where johnson made three mis-
takes Mistake No. was in going No was in
taking his wife with him. No. ; was in not taking
along motion picture man.
They sailed away from Vac one morning and
shortly after noon of the same day came into Big
Numbers bay and drew TIE boat upon the sandy
beach. At first not 4 native YVES in sight. Their
about % savages emerged from different places
nlong the horseshoe bay andfame to them. They
were of larger stature than any Johnson had seen
I'm this group. Around their waists they wore
dark hands that covered them frOm their upper
hius TO their first ribs. This band is sort OF a
p,elf that is wound around two or three times
cufsi.Ie of this they were entirely naked.
Most of Them had very hairy faces and big
Meatls cf bushy hair and many were armlets and
.pk,ets OF wild boar tusks. But their faces we're
yhe striking part about them; they were the ug
s ,,~<f and cruelest and most repulsive the ex
.serer. had ever seen. Their mouths we're large
sheir eyes those Of an animal and their skin was
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