The Bee-Hive. — 1876-08-26 (London, England)

OUTRAGES IN FIJI.  A "cannibal outrage" is announced from Fiji. The Governor, OR assuming authority, appears to have relied upon the civilising  element introduced and fostered by the Wesleyan Missionaries, and to have set himself to master the problems before him; such, for instance, as the demand of the white settlers of crown titles to their lands, and facilities for getting "foreign labour" from other island groups in the same seas. According to our informant, he so assimilated the rule of the chiefs, with the requirements of English Colonial Government, that in the moment of emergency, chiefs and people obeyed his every order, not merely with promptitude, but with enthusiasm; so that he is met, and overcame, a formidable danger by native help alone, and with but a nomitial demand on the Colonial treasury. The first towns influenced by the Missionaries were on the coasts, or in the smaller outlying islands. Their work has been speedy, marvellous, and almost complete. But a remnant of the old Cannibal brood remained, chiefly confined to the mountains of Viti Levu, an island as large as Jamaica. The inhabitants viewed with loathing those who ,professed the "lota," the new religion, from time to time swept down upon their towns, and, murdering as may as resisted, indul,Yed their cannibal propensities upon the prisoners taken. The Christian population had all the zeal of new converts, grafted upon natures not yet sufficiently subdued to Christian virtues.  Such were the circumstances out of which intestine broils arose with which Governor Gordon found it necessary to deal decisively. Availing themselves of the outbreak of measles, the priests interpreted the epidemic as an expression of the anger of the native gods, and thus inflamed the passions of the cannibal mountaineers against the Christian converts. It does not appear that the former have risen up against the Queen's authority, though regarded by them as a yoke imposed through the missionaries and their flocks. His excellency sent out a strong camp of police betwixt the parties; but this the hill people doubled, and falling upon the more offensive of the Christian towns, set them on fire. The attack, though sudden and unexpected, was met and repelled; not, however, before many women and children had been slaughtered. In fin-e, so many of the chiefs rallied around Sir Arthur Gordon, that the outbreak was completely put down with native assistance only. He seems to have dealt quite  fairly and even moderately with the disaffected. Assembling them to meet him, he told them they were at full liberty to retain their own way of life in other respects, but that kidnapping and murderous descents upon the coasts must cease. But they were unable to understand why they should not be allowed to kill and eat their enemies, and hence the necessity for making some severe examples. The Governor, under these circumstances, called upon those chiefs whom he had made rulers in the various islands, to contribute each his quota for the war. From a distance of a hundred and fifty miles by sea, he thus collected fifteen hundred men, who went into action led and subsisted by their own chiefs under European command in chief. They drove the enemy out of his fastnesses, fifty of whom were slain in battle and many taken prisoners. Then came the disposal of the ringleaders. It is affirmed that cruelty to captives and needless burning of dwelling places were strictly forbidden by Sir Arthur; and, although some reprisals were taken both by demolishing houses and confiscating provisions and crops, yet the Canniba Is saw instead of killing and eating prisoners, as much care bestowed upon the wounded on their own side as upon the wounded of the victors themselves. Nevertheless, it appeared to the Governor necessary to impress the Cannibal party with the consequences that must follow the repetition of such conduct as they had been guilty of. The leaders of a raid in which the women and children of a peaceful village had been slaughtered were put upon their trial, to the number of thirty, and having been found guilty of murder, were sentenced to death. Prom the whole number Sir Arthur Gordon selected for capital punishment fourteen as guilty of the more atrocious crimes, four of whom were hanged and ten shot. It is to be regretted that such measures should have been deemed unavoidable; and we can only hope that no repetition of them will be called for.