Chapter III: Introduction (2)

The 2nd chief, to whom the ship had been delivered, when we abandon’d her, was now taken sick and the priest continued to howl through the night for his recovery. On our asking the reason of such proceedings they told us that the priest was angry because a sufficient sacrifice of pigs had not been made and that the Great Spirit had caused a sickness to afflict the greatest warrior. A number of hogs were immediately killed and buried and numbers of the friends of the chief’s cut off a finger or toe[50] to satisfy the Great Spirit.

We learn’d that it was the custom to cut off their fingers or toes on the death of their friends or on the sickness of their chiefs. We saw a number of very aged people who had become feeble and infirm, call round their friends and bid them farewell and then allow themselves to be strangled and buried without showing any signs of fear for the future or regret for leaving the past.

On the 6th of May we received a letter which was written previous to the gale, from which we learned that the vessel lost at Bow was the brig _Niagara_,[51] Capt. Nathaniel Brown, and that she was from Salem.

Nothing particular occurred until the 22nd of May, 1831, when a sail was seen standing for the anchorage at 5 P. M. At sundown we were on board and she proved to be the schooner _Harriet_, Capt. Young, from the Sandwich Islands and last from Wallis Island. They took us all on board the schooner and after procuring the cables, anchors, etc., of our ship we proceeded for Bow.

On the 9th of June, we arriv’d off Averlon and found there the bark _Peru_,[52] Capt. Egleston, of and from Salem. Captain Egleston took Capt. Archer, Mr. Burnham and the remainder of our crew on board; likewise the Captains Brown and Vanderford[53] of the _Niagara_ with the officers and crew and we proceeded on our course to Bow, where we arrived on June 10th, and anchored off the island where Mr. Manini, supercargo of the schooner, purchased the cables and anchors of the brig _Niagara_, from the King of Bow. Having succeeded in getting them on board we got underweigh and ran down to Avalon and anchored near the bark _Peru_. Capt. Brown came on board the schooner and Capt. Young agreed to forward us to the Sandwich Islands.

On the 26th of June, we lost sight of the Fegee Islands, steering to the N. E. for Wallis Island[54] and arriving there three days later, we found the brig _Chinchilla_,[55] Capt. Meek. Capt. Young not finding it for his interest to return to the Sandwich Islands at present, on the 12th July sailed, intending to return in the space of 6 or 8 weeks, leaving us to reside in their houses and wait for his return.

“Scrimshawed” on a whale’s tooth. Presented to the East India Marine Society of Salem in 1825 by Capt. William Osgood. Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.]

After a long and most tedious stay on this island, on the 8th of November, the American whale-ship _Braganza_[56] arrived from a cruise off Japan for the purpose of procuring vegetables, water, etc. On the 26th, the brig _Chinchilla_ arrived from Port Jackson, having been obliged to put into that port for provisions. Finding that Capt. Meek was not to return to the Sandwich Islands at present and no chance offering for a passage to a civilized port, I went on board of the _Braganza_, it being the intention of Capt. Wood to cruise for whales about the Equator for the space of 4 or 5 months and then to proceed to some port for supplies, where I should probably find an opportunity to return to the United States.

On Nov. 29th, we left Wallis Island and proceeded towards the Equator where we cruised until the 1st of February, 1832, and succeeded in taking 25 c. of Sperm Oil. Then finding the head of the main-mast rotted badly and the weather rather unfavourable for prosecuting the whaling business we bore away and steered for Otaheite and on the 23rd February we arrived at _Eamco_,[57] an island a short distance from Otaheite where the Captain intended to repair his main-mast. We found at Otaheite, the ship _Atlantic_, Capt. Fisher, who intended to cruise for a short time for whales and then proceed for the United States. I immediately shipped on board and on the 28th February, signed his articles intending to sail the next day. Early the next morning we got underweigh and stood out to sea steering to the south east under short sail with the man at the mast-head looking for whales.

It was on the morning of 20th of April, just as the sun was rising, that the man at the mast-head cried out “There she blows!”[58]

It was very still on board; the ship steered close to the wind, a light breeze from east and not a sound heard except the slight ruffling the ship made as she forced her way through the water. But nothing could have acted so forcibly on our feelings as the cry that whales were in sight. In a moment the ship was in confusion, the sailors came up from below and ran to clear their boats and see all in readiness for the pursuit.

“Where away?” enquired the Captain, as he was coming up the companion-steps and without waiting for an answer ordered the ship to be hove to and the boats manned.

The order was promptly executed by the respective officers and on ascertaining they were sperm whales, he ordered the officers to lower the boats and pursue them. The whales were but a short distance from the ship and we had a good opportunity to observe their movements. The boats, sufficiently armed and manned, soon got amongst the whales, when the man at the mast-head had orders to inform those on deck of the movements in the boats and to inform those in the boats by signals of the situation of the whales.

From an engraving by J. Hill after a painting by T. Birch. The picture shows the famous Roach (Rotch) whaling fleet,--the _Enterprise_, _Wm. Roach_, _Pocahontas_ and _Houqua_, all from Nantucket.]

In a few moments we perceived by a great splashing, which one of them made, that the 1st officer had hove his harpoon into one of them. After running under water some time and taking the line out of the boat to a considerable distance, the whale came up on top of the water. The other whales immediately joining the wounded one and gave the other boats an opportunity of striking also, which they immediately improved and all three of the boats were each fastened to a whale at the same time. After the whales became exhausted they hauled up to them and lanced until they were dead.

In this manner the boats continued to improve their time and weapons until 6 of these huge animals were forced to yield their valuable bodies to the superior skill of Nantucket whalemen. They were soon towed alongside the ship and secured by their tails being fastened to the bows. The crew then proceeded to take the blubber on board. Large tackles were secured on the main-mast, the falls taken to the windlass, and every person stationed in his particular place. The officers at the ship’s side, on stages, to cut the blubber as it is hove on board with the tackles. The harpooners on deck to receive the blubber and overhaul the tackles. The carpenter sharpening the spades, the cooperer preparing the casks, the seamen heaving at the windlass, and the Captain superintending the whole.

They commenced by cutting a hole in the blubber near to the head of the whale, into which a tackle was hooked which served to steady the whale while the officers cut off the head which was hoisted on board. They then proceeded to peel the blubber off the whale, the officers cutting it with their spades into strips about 6 or 8 feet in width and from 12 to 18 feet in length, while it is hove in with the tackles. This causes the whale to turn over and over until the blubber is all off, when they cut the carcass adrift and left it a banquet for the sharks and birds of which there were great numbers around the ship.

After having secured the blubber of all the whales sail was again made on the ship and we proceeded on our way around Cape Horn. In a few days the blubber was tried out and stow’d in the ship’s hold and thus ended what the whalers term’d a fare of sperm oil.

We had a tolerable passage to the United States and on the 25th June, arrived at Nantucket, 119 days from Otaheite, and on the 29th June, 1832, I reached my home in Danvers after having been absent 37 months and 8 days.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] Tasmania. William Endicott says in his Log of this voyage: “Van Diemen’s Island appears from the sea to be high and irregular barren land covered with snow to the summits. The shore is bound with craggy rocks.”

[3] Situated at the northerly end of North Island, this was the principal rendezvous of European and American vessels during the early intercourse with the Pacific. Endicott says in his Log: “The Bay of Islands is a fine place for procuring wood, water, potatoes, pigs and vegetables.”

[4] “Indiaman,” “Diana” and “Tower Castle.”

[5] “New Zealander” of New Zealand.

[6] The primitive Maori method of cooking bodies was to dig a hole in the ground about two feet deep in which was placed a quantity of stones. A fire was built over these and when they were red hot most of them were removed. Those remaining were covered with alternate layers of leaves and flesh until there was as much above as below ground. Two or three quarts of water was then thrown over the pile, old mats spread over it and the whole covered with earth to confine the steam. In twenty minutes the flesh was cooked. Cannibalism was entirely abandoned by 1840 owing to the influence of the missionaries.

[7] The Friendly or Tonga Islands are a group lying south-east of Fiji between 18° and 20° south latitude and 174° and 176° west longitude. They comprise some 150 islands, mostly very small, of which only a few are inhabited. They were discovered by Tasman in 1643 and became a British protectorate in 1900. The natives are of Polynesian stock and have become Christians through the efforts of the Wesleyan Mission established here in 1822. Probably the best early account of the natives of any Pacific islands is William Mariner’s “An Account of the Natives of the Tonga Islands.”

[8] The Fiji islands are an important group of the Central Pacific lying largely between latitude 15°30′ and 19°30′ South and longitude 177° East and 178° West. They comprise some 155 islands, of which 100 are inhabited, and numerous islets and reefs. The group was discovered by Tasman in 1643 and was ceded to Great Britain by Thakombau on Oct. 10, 1874. The natives are of Melanesian stock with an admixture of Polynesian. The mountaineers of Vanua Levu show the purest strain while the costal tribes of that and the surrounding islands show a very pronounced strain of Tongan blood. All are now Christian through the efforts of the Wesleyan missionaries who went there in 1835 and a white man or woman is safer with these natives than on the streets of New York or Chicago.

[9] The result of the infusion of Tongan blood.

[10] War was the chief object in life for the Fijian man and so great was the desire for killing that two men always walked abreast for fear that if one were behind he would be overcome by the temptation to club his companion.

[11] Cannibalism was not practised exclusively on those killed in war. It was tabu or forbidden to the lower classes and they were most frequently the victims. Sometimes if a chief wanted a body for a feast he would send one of his dependents out to waylay a man of the lower classes. He would approach his unsuspecting victim from behind and strike him on the head with a club before he was aware that anything was to happen. Persons dying a natural death were never eaten but those shipwrecked were rescued only that they might be eaten. Neither sex nor age was a deterrent. One chief was so fond of human flesh that he boasted that he never passed a person that he did not wonder how they would taste. The method of cooking bodies was either by baking, in a manner similar to that practised in New Zealand (see note, page 16), or by boiling. The body was rarely baked whole but was dismembered and the trunk cast aside unless the supply was very short.

[12] Turtle Island--Vatoa.

[13] Civil account--civil day. When at sea the log-book day corresponded with the astronomical day and extended from noon to noon; but when anchored for any extended period of time the log-book record was kept in civil time, that is from midnight to midnight.

[14] Mbau or Ambau, a native town on a small island at the southerly end of Ambau Bay on the easterly side of Viti Levu, the largest island of the Fiji group. This town was the residence of Tanoa, the most influential chief in the Islands. It was off this town that the French brig “l’Amiable Josephine” was cut off by the chiefs of Rewa (or Viwa, a town on Viti Levu, the second most influential town in Fiji) in July, 1834, and the captain and all the crew but three were killed. In retaliation for this Dumont D’Urville destroyed the town of Viwa in 1839. In August, 1834, the chief Vendovi of Rewa massacred the mate and five men of the crew of the brig “Charles Doggett” of Salem. One of the crew was eaten.

[15] Brig “Quill,” of Salem, 189 tons, built at Hingham in 1818. Owned by John W., Nathaniel L. and Richard S. Rogers; commanded by Joshua Kinsman.

[16] Mr. Driver.

[17] Oahu, Hawaiian Islands.

[18] An edible holothurian familiar throughout the East under the Malay name of _trepang_.

[19] William S. Carey.

[20] From the Malay “to carry on the back”,--a man’s burden. A commercial weight varying in different countries. In the Philippines, where the beche-de-mer was sold, it was 140 lbs.

[21] Tanoa, the most powerful chief in the Islands. He was the father of Thakombau, the most celebrated of the Fijian chiefs and the greatest stumbling block to the missionaries until he was forced as a matter of expediency to adopt the Christian religion in 1854.

[22] The houses were burned so that they might not be used by other traders.

[23] Ship “Clay” of Salem, 299 tons, built at Hanover, Mass., in 1818. Owned by John W., Nathaniel L. and Richard S. Rogers; commanded by Charles Millett.

[24] Anganga Island.

[25] Including the ship “Sophia” of London.

[26] Ship “Zeneas Coffin” of Nantucket, 338 tons, owned by C. G. and H. Coffin; commanded by George Joy.

[27] Ship “Ann Alexander” of New Bedford, 211 tons, owned by George Howland; commanded by Josiah Howland.

[28] Ship “Hector” of New Bedford, 380 tons, owned by Charles W. Morgan; commanded by John G. Morse.

[29] Maui, the second largest island of the Hawaiian group.

[30] Ship “Atlantic” of Nantucket, 321 tons. Commanded by Elihu Fisher.

[31] This church at Lahaina, Maui, was said at the time to be “the most noble structure in all Polynesia.”

[32] Penrhyn or Tongareva was discovered by Seaver in the ship “Lady Penrhyn” in 1788. When visited by the “Popoise” of the Wilkes’ Expedition in 1841 the natives were described as the wildest and most savage-looking beings that had been met with.

[33] Ovalau, a small island about 10 miles east of Viti Levu. On this island is situated the town of Levuka whose harbor is one of the best in the islands. It was the principal residence of white men in the group and was the seat of the British colonial government until 1882, when it was removed to Suva on Viti Levu.

[34] The anchors usually carried were: sheet anchor, the largest and strongest which is only used in time of direst necessity; the best bower anchor and the small bower anchor, about the same size and take their name from their position at the bow of the ship; the stream anchor, smaller than the bowers; and the kedge anchor, smallest of all.

[35] Somosomo, a town of considerable importance, situated on the island of Taviuni or Vuna off the south-eastern point of Vanua Levu the second largest island in the Fiji group.

[36] Brig “Faun” of Salem, 168 tons, built at Quincy in 1816. Owned by Robert Brookhouse of Salem, George Abbot of Beverly and Hall & Williams of Boston; commanded by James Briant. Wrecked in August 1830 on the Cakaudrove coast of Vanua Levu in the bay now called Faun Harbor.

[37] Charles Ambrose Knight, 1st mate of the ship “Friendship” of Salem, a brother of Edmund, was massacred in February 1831, by the natives at Quallah Battoo, Sumatra.

[38] Fish--a piece of timber, somewhat in the form of a fish, used to strengthen a mast or yard.

[39] Mutt-Water or Mudwater, a town on the north side of Vanua Levu. The native name was Bonne Rarah.

[40] Tackanova--Vanua Levu.

[41] The “bitter-end” is that part of the cable which is abaft the bitts when the ship rides at anchor.

[42] Chief Santa Beeta of Bonne Rarah.

[43] Bonne Rarah.

[44] Mah--Mathee.

[45] The _bure_ or temple was the council chamber and town hall of the village. Strangers were entertained there and the head persons of the village often slept in it. As the best constructed building in the village it was elaborately decorated, the timbers and rafters being wrapped with sennit in various designs of red and black. Votive offerings such as clubs, huge rolls of sennit, whale’s teeth, strips of masi, a model of a temple made of sennit or parts of a victim slain in war, decorated the interior.

[46] Sennit--a cord made of the fibre of the cocoanut husk, dried, combed and braided. The Fijians having no nails use this for all sorts of fastenings, lashings and wrappings in varied design. It is made in all sizes from a single strand to a cable and is of very considerable strength.

[47] This statement seems to be somewhat exaggerated. One canoe has been recorded as one hundred feet in length. Wilkes says that the average large canoe was seventy feet in length and would conveniently carry fifty men.

[48] _Yaquona_ of the Fijians, _kava_ of the Tongans and _awa_ of the Hawaiians, is an infusion of the root of the pepper plant (_Piper methysticum_). The root is first chewed or grated, after which the macerated mass is placed in a bowl and covered with water. The infusion is then strained through a fibre mesh and is ready to drink. It was used on occasions of ceremony or entertainment and its preparation was accompanied by a more or less elaborate ritual. It is used by the races in the Pacific who do not chew the betel nut. Its effects are intoxicating and narcotic.

[49] Tapa cloth, _masi_ of the Fijians, _siapo_ of the Samoans, _kapa_ of the Hawaiians, was the substitute for cloth and paper. It was made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry (_Broussonetia papyrifera_). The plants were carefully cultivated and when about one inch in diameter were cut down and soaked in water. The bark was removed and beaten. Different pieces were joined together and beaten into one piece so that sheets of almost any size could be made. The finished masi was then decorated by printing or stencilling with dyes of red-brown and black.

[50] One of the chief forms of mourning for the dead, in addition to wailing, was to lop off the little finger of one of the hands. Most of the older natives lost both little fingers. This was confined to the relatives of the deceased unless the latter was one of the highest chiefs when it was confined to the tribe.

[51] Brig “Niagara” of Salem, 246 tons, built at Mount Desert in 1816. Owned by Putnam I. Farnham, Jed Fry and Peter S. Webster; commanded by Nathaniel Brown. Wrecked in Ambau Bay the same day as the “Glide.”

[52] Bark “Peru”, 210 tons, built at Salem in 1823. Owned by Stephen C. Phillips; commanded by John H. Eagleston. Sold to Spanish owners at Manila in 1832. Capt. Eagleston commanded four different vessels in the Fiji trade, was familiar with the language and was on friendly terms with several of the chiefs. He rendered great assistance and furnished valuable information to Lieut. Wilkes while the U. S. Exploring Expedition was at the Fijis.

[53] Capt. Benjamin Vanderford of Salem made many voyages to the Fiji Islands and was familiar with the manners, customs and language. He was afterwards master’s mate and pilot on the U.S.S. “Vincennes” during the Wilkes’ Exploring Expedition and died, March 23, 1842, on the passage home.

[54] Uvea, northeast of Fiji. Discovered by Maurelle in 1781 and again by Wallis in 1797.

[55] Brig “Chinchilla” of New York; commanded by Thomas Meek of Marblehead.

[56] Ship “Braganza” of New Bedford, 217 tons. Owned by Phillips, Russell & Co.; commanded by Daniel Wood. Altered to a bark in 1859 and condemned at Honolulu in 1862.

[57] Eimeo, one of the Society Islands about 10 miles north west of Tahiti.

[58] This account of whaling may have been abstracted by Mr. Endicott from some now unidentified source.

A CANNIBAL FEAST AT THE FEJEE ISLANDS

BY AN EYE WITNESS

(_Reprinted from “The Danvers Courier,” Aug. 16, 1845_)

MR. EDITOR. Finding myself in possession of a little spare time, I feel disposed to improve it in overhauling a range or two of memory, and agreeably to promise to commit such of it to paper as may seem of interest, touching on incidents which occurred at the Fejee Islands while on board the Old Ship _Glide_.

It was on a pleasant afternoon in the month of March, 1831, our ship at anchor off the town of Bona-ra-ra, the crew on board employed in making senett, spun-yarn, yard mats, and other ship gear to fill up the chinks of time, and particularly the ship’s lockers with such articles as are sure to come in play on shipboard, when you have not time to make them.

We were not very busy, neither were we idle; but it was just one of those sort of days at the Fejees when all hands had been hard at work all the forenoon, boating oil to the ship, beche-le-mer, weighing, and stowing it away in the hold, and having once more cleared up decks, felt released from the regular day’s duty, and indulged ourselves in a sail privilege of telling tales, singing songs and reflecting upon “better days gone by.”

Our reveries and yarns were unbroken by any orders from aft except, to strike the bell every half hour, which if it had no other purpose reminded us that thirty minutes more had drifted astern upon the sea of time.

Five bells had been ordered from the quarter deck. I arose to execute the command, when my attention was drawn to the shore by seeing a large collection of savages on the beach, walking towards the town. Having struck the bell, I proceeded to the side of the ship where a canoe with five or six women had just arrived, to sell us fruit. I enquired of them what was the matter on shore. They immediately told me that the men had been to a fight with the Andregette tribe (who lived about thirty miles in the mountains), were victorious and had killed and taken three of their enemies, and were now going to have a grand Soleb, or feast.

I had heard David Whippy, a man who had long been a resident upon these Islands, tell many a long tale of the manners and customs of the natives, and especially of their cannibalism, and I had a strong desire to see the manner in which they prepared and ate human flesh.

While I was considering whether I would ask the liberty I wished, or not, Capt. Archer came up and stood in the companion way. I went aft, made known to him my request, when he replied, “I have no objection but take care of yourself.”

Wearing “maiden locks” indicating that they are unmarried.]

This admonition was gratefully received, yet I felt by no means alarmed, having spent a great portion of my time on shore among the natives, with whom I was on terms of perfect friendship and good will, a circumstance well known to the Capt. or I should probably have received at once from him a denial of my wish to be absent from the ship on such an occasion.

I went down to my chest and brought up a few beads, which I gave to the women in the canoe, telling them I wished to be paddled ashore. They immediately threw their fruits consisting of a few cocoanuts and plantains, through one of the ship’s ports upon deck and considering the beads a compensation for both fruit and passage I was soon on my way to the shore.

I landed upon the beach just ahead of the savages who were coming single file to the village, entering it however by a very circuitous route and in a manner never done except on such occasions.

There were about sixty warriors, though a great many others were in attendance who had joined them while nearing the village.

The bodies of the three dead savages were carried in front, lashed on long poles in a singular manner. They were bound with wythes by bringing the upper and lower parts of the legs together and binding them to the body, and the arms in a similar manner by bringing the elbows to rest on the knees, and their hands tied upon each side of the neck. Their backs were confined to poles which were about twelve feet long. One was lashed on each pole, with six men, three at each end, to carry it.

Those who carried the bodies walked with a limping gait, bending their left knees almost to the ground, but doing it in exact time with the war song they were singing.

They proceeded immediately in front of the Boo-re (a large hut to be used only on public occasions) and threw the dead bodies from their shoulders with the most savage triumph. Two of them were untied from the poles while the third and smallest one, was by the order of the King, sent to some particular friends of his belonging to a neighboring tribe, from whom he had received similar tokens of friendship.

This was a great day at Bona-ra-ra. A day of great rejoicing. This tribe had not only been successful in their attack upon their enemy, but had succeeded in securing the slain. Little credit is given to the warrior who kills his enemies if he does not obtain their bodies; much more is thought of the savage who kills one man and carries him home, than of the individual who may kill a hundred and let their dead bodies fall into the hand of the enemy. Their chief glory consists not so much in killing, as in eating their enemies.

I noticed that a very particular interest was taken in one of the dead savages, and there were none present who talked louder or expressed more vehement gestures, or savage feeling, than an old woman. This matter I could not understand. I asked a young savage who stood near me, what was their particular interest in that man more than the other? He told me that some time previous this tribe had made war with the Andre-getta people, and the son of this old woman was a young chief in the fight and was slain; and it was believed that this individual had killed him. Whether it was so or not, the old woman believed it and the priest believed it, and that was enough for their purpose, for they only wished to wreak their revenge on some savage, though it were a dead one. I had seated myself on the large roots of a cocoanut tree in front of the whole ceremony. After it was satisfactorily settled that this was the savage who had killed the young chief, they proceeded systematically to fill up the measure of their revenge.

This old female savage went to her hut and brought all the property of her late son; such as sleeping mats, tappa, i-fow carlic, angona-dish, and some other little furniture which make up the necessaries of a chief’s dwelling. The angona bowl was placed near the head of the dead savage; a bamboo of water was brought and laid by his side, when several young men after well rinsing their mouths, were employed in chewing and preparing a bowl of angona. After the drink was made ready this old savage after a short speech from the priest, who had continued to make low gutteral sounds and shake himself through the whole ceremony, took her small dish full of the liquor and presenting it to the lips of the dead savage bade him drink. No sooner was this done than a general yell ran through the tribe--“Amba cula boy thu-ie,” he is a stinking dead man. She then dashed the liquor in his face and broke the dish in pieces upon it. She then took up her bamboo of water, and removing the tuft of grass from the end placed it also to the mouth of the dead man and again bade him drink. A repetition of the same ceremony was gone through with, when she poured all the water upon his face and then broke the bamboo in pieces upon his head, and told the men to take it to cut him up with. Bamboo, split to a sharp edge was called by them isulic (a term applied to knife), which instrument alone they allowed themselves to use in cutting to pieces a dead body.

The old woman had now gone her way knowing that her orders would be executed, and well aware of the strict prohibition against her, or any of her sex either to assist in preparing, or eating human flesh.

The head of the savage on whom this ceremony commenced was first cut off and laid aside, then the furniture that was brought by the old woman was broken up and placed around it; and fire set to it so that the whole was entirely consumed about the head, and rendered thereby in a fit state for cleansing; the hair being burnt off and the flesh so singed that it was scraped perfectly white.

As soon as this affair was ended a dance commenced as is customary on all such occasions. All the warriors who were engaged in the fight, and some aged men who staid at home, had now prepared themselves for this savage expression of joy. The Fejeeians wear but little clothing on ordinary occasions and on this they were in a state of complete nudity. They were painted in a most frightful manner, as great a diversity of painting, or marking was observed by them as could be devised, each one attempting to outdo the other in the most loathsome obscenity and savage appearance. They use but three kinds of paint upon their bodies which are black, red, and yellow. The black is made from a small nut which grows upon the ground, it is burnt to a coal and pounded up between flat stones, and prepared by mixing it with cocoanut oil. The red and yellow paint used by them is a mineral similar to our ochre, if not precisely the same in substance. The yellow is held by them in high estimation. It is mixed with cocoanut oil, scented with sandalwood and fragrant herbs, and is the first dressing received by the new born infant. It is called by them re-ringer.

There were about one hundred dancers who came upon the ground at one and the same time with terrific yells. Their dance was made up of the most violent and distended motion of the limbs, often prostrating themselves on the ground upon their backs, and springing again instantly to their places, without however for a moment ceasing to chant their war song in a very low but distinct manner. Their only instrumental music on this occasion was that of two savages beating upon the end of a hollow log four or six feet in length, which is always heard on such occasions, and also as an alarm for war.

Within the ring of dancers had the old woman’s command been promptly executed.

They commenced in their usual systematic way of cutting up a dead body. The heads of both savages being now taken off, they next cut off the right hand and the left foot, right elbow and left knee, and so in like manner until all the limbs separated from the body.

An oblong piece was then taken from the body commencing at the bottom of the chest and passing downwards about eight inches, and three or four inches wide at its broadest part. This was carefully laid aside for the King, it being strictly prohibited for anyone else to eat of it.

The entrails and vitals were then taken out and cleansed for cooking. But I shall not here particularize. The scene is too revolting. The flesh was then cut through the ribs to the spine of the back which was broken, thus the body was separated into two pieces. This was truly a sickening sight. I saw after they had cut through the ribs of the stoutest man, a savage jump upon the back, one end of which rested upon the ground, and the other was held in the hands and rested upon the knees of another savage, three times before he succeeded in breaking it.

This ended the dissection of the bodies.

While this was going on, the lobu or oven was prepared which was made as follows. An excavation is made in the earth of a concave form about six feet in diameter and a foot and a half deep in the centre, and smoothly lined with small stones. A large fire is then made in it, with small stones placed among the burning fuel for the purpose of heating them, and as the bodies are cut to pieces they are thrown upon the fire, which after being thoroughly singed are scraped while hot by savages, who sit around the fire for this purpose. The skin by this process is made perfectly white, this being the manner in which they dress their hogs, and other animal food.

To show their excessive greediness for human flesh, and their savage thirst for blood, I need only to relate a particular circumstance which took place at the time. The head of the savage which was last taken off, was thrown towards the fire, and being thrown some distance it rolled a few feet from the men who were employed around it; when it was stolen by one of the savages who carried it behind the tree where I was sitting. He took the head in his lap and after combing away the hair from the top of it with his fingers picked out the pieces of the scull which was broken by the war club and commenced eating the brains. This was too much for me. I moved my position, the thief was discovered and was as soon compelled to give up his booty, it being considered by the others he had got by far too great a share.

The process of cleansing and preparing this flesh, occupied about two hours. There was no part of these bodies which I did not see cleansed and put in the oven.

The stones which had been placed upon the fire, were now removed, the oven cleaned out, the flesh carefully and very neatly wrapped in fresh plantain leaves, and placed in it. The hot stones were also wrapped in leaves and placed among the flesh, and after it was all deposited in the oven, it was covered up two or three inches with the same kind of leaves, and the whole covered up with earth of sufficient depth to retain the heat.

It was now about sunset; the oven was completely covered, and a new dance commenced around it, which continued for some time. I ascertained by the natives, that it would be past midnight before they would open their oven, and being desirous of seeing the end of this affair, and recollecting that I had no anchor watch to stand that night, I resolved to go to the beche-le-mer house which was on the opposite side of the village, and spend part of the night, caring only to get on board the ship the next morning in season to turn to with all hands, in washing the decks. I therefore proceeded on my way across the village, when I met with Sina-beatee, a chief with whom I was well acquainted, who asked me to go with him to his hut, and take something to eat. I followed my host to his cabin, and made a good supper, after which I left him and renewed my way across the village to the ship’s house.

I found the men curing the fish as usual. Everything looked perfectly familiar to me. Some were scolding the natives for their laziness and not bringing the fish to the pots, as they wanted them; others were dodging the smoke and steam from the pots, with an occasional oath, and trying to get a snuff of pure air; while the men to the windward pots, though free from the other annoyances, were compelled to take a double share of mosquitoes, which was a fair offset to the grievances of the others. These, with a few of Job’s comforts; dreadful sores occasioned by frequently burning a poison wood called by the natives--see-nu, make up some of the rare pleasures of the shore’s crew on a beche-le-mer voyage.

As the men on shore are obliged to stand watch and watch, I turned in to the berth of one of my shipmates who had the first watch at the pots, and slept as sound and as well, perhaps, as anyone else would have done in a savage land with a host of savage mosquitoes singing about his ears.

I turned out about midnight, sauntered about the beche-le-mer house until nearly daylight, and then made my way back again to the Boo-re.

I soon found on nearing the house, by seeing the torches about the oven, and also by the scent of their cooked flesh, that their feast had begun; and on my arrival I found they were nearly done. It was soon reported to the chiefs that a white man was at the door, and after some enquiry I was invited to the feast. Being well acquainted with the King, as well as Sina-beatee with whom I had supped the evening previous, I felt somewhat at home and took a seat beside the last named personage. It was not yet daylight and there was no light in the house except a small fire kept burning at each of the three doors to keep out the mosquitoes, which served for little or no other purpose. I had been seated but a moment or two when I heard the Chief Sina-beatee (who was kept on board the ship as a hostage for the men on shore who were getting a cargo for the ship, but who had been released by the Captain on this occasion the evening previous), say to the King “Had we not better give the white man something to eat?” “Yes,” said the King, “you can send and get him some yam, for he will not eat our meat.” Sina-beatee replied, “I know he will not, but I consider the meat by far the best and as a token of good will, having received presents from him, I wish to present him some.” The King after a mute silence of a moment, told one of his ki-sees or slaves to give the white chief (allowing me that title in consideration of the respect shown me by Sina-beatee) the best piece which was left, it being nearly all eaten up. He went to the centre of the Boo-re where lay some unbroken bunches of meat, the savages being placed generally on the sides of the room, and selected a piece, telling the King what it was before removing it. The King said it was “slave’s meat,” which he regretted, saying to Sina-beatee, he wished it was a better piece and ordered the slave to give it me. It was accordingly brought carefully wrapped in a plantain leaf as it had been placed in the oven. I unwrapped it and found it to be a part of a foot taken off at the ankle and at the joints of the toes. I made an excuse for not eating it, by saying that it had been kept too long after it was killed, before it was cooked, it being about thirty-six hours. The King replied, it was not half so long as you white men keep your bullum-a-cow! meaning salt beef, a name derived from bull and cow, by American seamen. Salted meat was considered by them the most unhealthy and loathsome food that could be eaten, and was the means of creating a strong prejudice against the whites for their eating it. I had no desire to discuss the question of diet with this old savage and cannibal, knowing that I could not convince him of the base impropriety of eating human flesh, and well aware that he could not prevail upon me to exchange the cured flesh of a well stalled ox for the jackall food of his murdered victims.

Presented to The Essex Institute in 1851 by Capt. John H. Eagleston who stated that it was “A tooth from Na Massa Ngaloa, the greatest cannibal that ever lived, head chief of Rewa, Fiji Islands. Twenty years since conquered most of the islands in the archipelago; since died aged about sixty years. Eleven years ago became Christian--baptised Ratu Mill.” Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.]

Such models were presented to the temples as offerings. Given to the East India Marine Society of Salem, by Capt. Joseph Winn, Jr., in 1835. Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.]

1. Comb with top of human bone; collected by John Crandall in 1860.

2. Bracelet of shark’s teeth; collected by Capt. Joshua Kinsman in
1831.

3. Bracelet of roots made by the mountaineers; collected by Capt.
Joshua Kinsman in 1831.

4. Bracelet of human teeth; collected by James B. Williams, U. S.
Consul at Fiji, in 1845.

5. Mat needle made of human bone; collected by Capt. Joshua Kinsman
in 1831.

Now in the Peabody Museum of Salem.]

As the light of day shown into the hut, it revealed a sight seldom witnessed by civilized man. Around the hut sat sixty or seventy cannibals, more frightful than ever if possible; their paint being rubbed together in many instances, gave their bodies such an appearance as for a moment to lead one to doubt that they were human beings. Before one savage, would lay a human head, save that part which could be released from it, the lower jaw; which would be in possession of another. The bones of these bodies were well distributed among them, showing conclusively that none had failed to get their share. I had understood by them that the oven was opened about midnight, and that they had now done their feast; what was left was to be given to the boys; the women, as I have before stated, were not allowed to taste of it though they frequently got it by stealth, as some of them did on this occasion after the bones and broken meat was given to the boys. My attention was directed to an old Tonga ta boo savage, whom I had seen, however, frequently before, who was a Ma-ti or mechanic among them, whose particular business it was to manufacture sail needles from the shin bones of their cannibal victims. The sails to their canoes, being made in a triangular form, of thick mats sewed together with sennet, renders it necessary to have long and crooked needles, and perhaps there is nothing among them from which this article could be so well manufactured as from the shin bone of a man. This old savage sat near the King, with four shin bones between his own, and feeling himself entitled by his peculiar occupation to those parts of the victim, never failed to have his share of the spoils. I had heard through my whole stay at this place that he was the most notorious cannibal in the tribe; and his whole appearance conformed well with his acknowledged character. He was of a large and muscular frame, raw boned, his skin brawny and dry, and with no nose upon his face; he having lost this prominent feature some years previous, for the indulgence of a crime among the wives of a neighboring chief. His nose was bitten off. I knew of but one crime among these islanders, which a man or woman could commit, the penalty of which was the loss of this member.

Many of the savages now begun to leave the Boo-re, and among the rest was Sina-beatee who stated to me that he should go on board the ship in the boats which came on shore for the beche-le-mer. I rose to go, but wishing to carry with me some relic as a remembrance of the scene I had witnessed, I engaged the old Tonga savage to make a pair of sail needles, one from the limb of each of the devoured victims, promising him a good compensation for them. He gave them to me in two or three days after, neatly wrought, which I placed among my curiosities, which within one month from that time were all together with the ill-fated ship.

About sunrise, I went to the beche-le-mer house, and finding myself too late to get on board to assist in washing decks, I set myself to work collecting the beche-le-mer on the batters, in readiness to be put into bags when the boats came off, thereby offsetting my duty on board by doing what I knew would be required of my boatmates on their arrival on shore.

The boats arrived at their usual time, and after taking on board as much of the beche-le-mer as was ready for storage on board the ship, we went on board accompanied by Sina-beatee and his wife Tu-cun-na, who spent much of her time with the chief on board of the ship.

I am about to the end of my yarn, yet I might lengthen it by knotting on other strands, but my timepiece reminds me that it is past midnight; so I shall take the liberty to belay this and turn in.

Yours, etc.,
WILLIAM ENDICOTT

A FEW WORDS OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE FEGEE ISLANDS

The natives always add the word _Sah_, to all words excepting substantives.

_Fegee_ _English_

Andree´ Beche-le-mer
A-tap´-pah What
Ing-go´ That or those
Lah´-go Go away
Oh-mi´ Come here
Mi Here
Si-an´-drah How do you do
Fah-ing-go´ This fashion, or this way
Papa lang´-ee General name for civilized people
Fah-a-Be´tee Like a Fegee man
Fah-a-papa-lang´-ee Like a civilized man
La´bo Large
Li-Li Small
Ba-na´-kak Good
Dah Bad
Un-dee´-nah True
Las´-so False
Bon-ee´-tah Handsome
Seeng-ah´ No
Ee´-o Yes
Neen´-ee Angry
Tom´-a-Tah Man
La´-vah Women
E-val´-ee Musket or a bow
Anti-ky´ House
Nung-a-Sow´ Bullets or arrows
Ma-Loon´ Club
A-noo´-koo Sand or powder
A-bat´-to Stones
Am-boo´-kah Fire
Nah-cow´ Wood
Fa-nu´-ah Land--the shore
Dry-and-dry´ Lengthy
Lakah-Lakah´ Short
Boo´-lah Strong or brave
Ra´-Rah Frightened
An-Drew´ Blood
Am-Boo´ter Cooked
An-Dro´kah Raw
Wank´-ah Ship, canoe
Bel´lo-Bel´lo Boat
Pie´-o Oar, paddle
Thoo´-lar Pole
Ee-lah´-ther Sail
Ra´-Vah Hoist
Wye´-Dewee Salt water
Wye-Ee-No Water to drink
Cun´-a-Cun´ Eat
Ee-No Drink
Mun´dry Bread
Poark´-ah Hogs
Oo´-fee Yams
A-boon´-tee Plantains
A-oo´-to Bread, fruit
Ee´-kah Fish
Mah-Seem´-ah Salt
Ah-nee´-ew Cocoanuts
Too-rong´-ah Chief
Ky-See Common man
Mar-Ty´ Carpenter
Toon-en-Dye´ Helmsman
Ky-Fa-nu´-ah Landsman
Ky-Wye´ Sailor
Tah´-nee Stranger
Bul´lee-Bul´lee Trade, barter
Par´-lee-Co Chizzel
Mo´ro-Mo´ro Beads
Tambour´ Whale’s tooth
I-sail-ee Knife, sword
So´-Ber Tub or hogshead
Ca´-To Box
A-rom´-bo Bag
Gu´tee-Gu´tee Basket
Du´-nah One--1
A-roo´-ah Two--2
To´lo Three--3
Vah Four--4
Lee´-mah Five--5
Ono Six--6
Ve´-to Seven--7
Wah´-loo Eight--8
Thee´-wah Nine--9
Tee´-nee Ten--10
Car´-loo Great Spirit
Em-Bet´ta Priest
See´ng-ah Sun
Boo´-lah Moon
Tung´-ee Wind
Oo´-ther Rain
Dumb´-an-Dumb´ Red colour
Cur-ra-la-row´er Green colour
Lo´-ah-Lo´-ah Black or blue colour
I-bo´-Lah White or yellow colour
Sam-ber´-rah By and by
Sah-Vet´her How many
Sah-Ee´-Bee Where is it
Gwe´go Yourself
Gwo´ Myself
Cot´he-Thung´-ee What is your name?
Bullee-Atap´-pah What will you trade for?
Ky-Bee-Tee Fegee man
Ky-America American
Ky-Bullee-Tan´ee Englishman
Ky-Tonga Tongee man

The Fegee people are named after the principal things they are acquainted with, as their weapons, the elements, vegetables, etc.

_Wallis Island_ _English_

Tanga´-tah Man
Fee-fee´-na Women
A-lee´-kee Chief
A-Too´-ah Priest and the Great Spirit
Lil-La´ Good
Cov´-ee Bad
Li´-Hee Large
See-See Small
A-Ty´-hee One--1
A roo´-ah Two--2
Tolo Three--3
Vah Four--4
Lee´-mah Five--5
Ono´ Six--6
Vee´-to Seven--7
Wah´-loo Eight--8
Thee´-wah Nine--9
Ung´ a boo´-ro Ten--10

OFFICERS AND CREW OF SHIP _GLIDE_ ON HER 14TH VOYAGE

_Place of_ _Place of_ _Rank_ _Names_ _Birth_ _Residence_ _Height_ _Age_ Master Henry Archer, Jr. 1st Mate Benjamin Balch, Jr. Salem Salem 5′ 5½″ 24 2nd Mate Samuel Burnham Salem Salem 5′ 9½″ 24 3rd Mate William Endicott Danvers Danvers 5′ 3½″ 20 Armourer Thomas Crowell Salem Salem 5′ 8″ 28 Carpenter Aaron Marden Tuftonboro Salem 5′ 6″ 27 Seaman Joseph Noble, Jr. Salem Salem 5′ 5″ 21 Seaman Henry W. Ramsdell Salem Salem 5′ 5″ 22 Seaman Andrew Reed Gothenburg Salem 5′ 6½″ 18 Seaman Antone Johnson Genoa Salem 5′ 2″ 45 Seaman Preston Crafts Manchester Manchester Seaman Joseph H. Morse Manchester Manchester Seaman Joshua B. Derby Salem Salem 5′ 5½″ 16 Seaman Edmund Knight Salem Salem 5′ 4¾″ 16 Seaman Joseph Joplin Salem Salem 5′ 6″ 18 Seaman William Warner Salem Salem 5′ 1½″ 15 Seaman Seth Richardson Salem Salem 5′ 3″ 18 Seaman Leonard Poole Danvers Danvers 5′ 7¾″ 22 Seaman Henry Fowler Danvers Danvers 5′ 7½″ 19 Seaman James Oliver Salem Salem Cook Henry Shaw Boston Salem 5′ 2½″ 42 Steward Joseph Francis Salem Salem 5′ 9½″ 21

PUBLICATIONS OF THE MARINE RESEARCH SOCIETY SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS