The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-04-02


not long ago that has thrills all its own. It's
differenr-thats all. The Solomons, be il known,
are one of the few places where the king of the
CannbaI Islands" still reigns and does business at
the old stand OF none of the natives in
bulge openly in Long Pig; the white sees
to that But back in the bush il is still about as
wild as 1t ever was and the white can't
watch the sayages all the time. And the appetite
and the taste still persist in the Solomon islands
savage.
Also, back in the hush the petty king takes unto
himself as many wives as he wants, in the good
oldfashioned way of the Solomon islands-may.
he that's where they get the name. And natural
~ king with white wife in his collection would
be some punkins-which is where Mrs. Johnson
comes into the story AS for Mr. Johnson evil
IDENTITY the kettle hasn't been cast that can con-
vert him into cannibalistic ttbt.
JOhnS0nS home is in independence Kan but
he Is seldom there because there is adventure in
his blood and he cannot stay long in. one place
HaFklng back Il few years, he with Jack Lon
don ON The 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 Il man her husband really was. She as
sumed that she had married enterprisins'yonng
Photography
give her no alarm. She knew of course that he
had been a friend of the late Jack London hut
how. when he displayed such proper newly
we'd interest in the rugs and furniture and cur
tailIS 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 adventurine
In the South seas again?
When he made the announcement ahort civ
months ago, however, Mrs. Johnson decided she
was bound TO be pal and hepmeet or die in fhe
attempt so she decided To 90 along And thus
1T came to pass that, few weeks later in whnt
Is known as the Big Numbers" district home of
the ferces race of cannibals at present in exis-
fence MI and Mrs. johnson were riskins their
lives TO obtain photographs of these people They
are said to be the first white people ever to on
ter into this district and come away
From the moment of Johnsons landing in tbe
New Hebrides and the white people became aware
OF ms mission he was warned against making
of the savage natives of the large
island OF Malekula, but the stories he heard only
made him want to photograph these people an tbe
more 1t was with the dea of being close TO this
island that he visited the small island of yao and
made arrangements to stop with an American
located there and wait his chance.
Every day for week he watched for soma
schooner. Ills intention was to make arrange
ments with the captain to take him to the Rig
Numbers district % miles from Vac ON tha otber
came along and he grew restless for he wanted
the pictures. Finally he secured whaleboat be
longing to trader ana persuaded five semi
civilized canniGais of Vac island to 20 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. 3 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 the boat upon the sandy
Deach. At first not native was in sight. Then
about % savages emerged from different places
lInng the horseshoe bay and came to them They
we're of larger stature than any Johnson had seen
II this group. Around their waists they wore
ark bands that covered them from their upper
lips to their first ribs This band is sort of
elt that is wound around two or three times
utside Of this they were entirely naked
Most of them had very hairy faces and big
eads of bushy hair and many wore arinlets and
nklets of wild boar tusks But their faces were
he striking part about them they were the lc-
est and crueIest and most repulsive the OK.
iorer had ever seen. Their mouths We're large
ssn .sss those of an animal and their skin was