THE SOLOMON ISLANDERS. FURTHER ATROCITIES IN THE GROUP. A WHITE TRADER AND THREE NATIVES KILLED AND EATEN. THE CRUISE OF H.M.S. ROYALIST.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 421, 20 November 1889, Page 3

THE SOLOMON ISLANDERS. FURTHER ATROCITIES IN THE GROUP. A WHITE TRADER AND THREE NATIVES KILLED AND EATEN. THE CRUISE OF H.M.S. ROYALIST.

A Lettish from Captain Woodhouse, who has charge of a trading schooner, the Emma Fisher, belonging to Messrs Ke'ly and Williams, of this city, was received in town yestorday, says the .Sydney. Morning ••Herald," giving brief particulars of the perpetration of some further atrocities on traders, and the practice of cannibalism by the natives of "one of the Solomon Islands. The particulars to hand are that the Emma Fishor had fallen in company with the schooner Enterprise, of Sydney, from which it was gleaned that the boat steorer, an A.B. on board the Enterprise, named Nelson, had been killed and eaten, toe-ether with thiee others, natives. Nelson is given as a native ot Norway, a man of about 30 years of age, and possessing some years' experience in the island trad,©- The mas&acre would

SEEM TO HAVE BEEN PIIEMEDITATED. Nelson bears the reputation hero of being a well-conducted man, and had always appeared to be, and was in fact, on the best terms with the Solomon Islanders at the places periodically called at by the schooner Enterprise. From the information to hand | ib appears that the natives came off as is! customary from (it is believed) Hammond \ Island, near Rubiana, in the Solomon Group, and represented that they wanted to dispose of some copra. Nelson and three of the native crew on board the Enterprise were thus induced to land in the schooner's boat, and proceeded up to the village at which the copra was reported to be stored. Whilst in the act of stooping to pick a handful of the copra up, Nelson was, it is stated, felled by a blow on the back of the head from an axe or tomahawk, and before his crew of three native " boys " could regain the boat

THEY WERE SIMILARLY MASSACRED. Ib is then reported that the bodies were roasted and eaten. The letter received fiom Captain Woodhouse further mentions that IT M.s. Royalist had visited the proup, and Captain Hand, upon learning the particulars of the murders, shelled tho villages at which the perpetrators weio reported to have taken refuge. Tho letter also contains particulars of the trial and sentence of a Solomon Island chief named Johnson, the native name Sono. Johnson was taken some time since by the Royalist, for the murder of a European, belonging to Sydney, named Thomas Datelle, and various inquiries have been made as to what had been done with him. Mr G. J. Waterhouse, of this city, knew Johnpon pretty well, the chief having made several visits to Sydney. Johnson is believed to have received an

ENGLISH EDUCATION IN AUCKLAND ; having been, ib is said, takon there many years ago by Bishop l'atbeson. He spoke English well, and w.is regarded as a bupeiior man amongst his countrymen. The murder of which he was found guilty was perpetrated purely' in revenge, it is said, the muule'red man having severed his connection with the village of Motu, over which the chief Johnson ruled. From Captain Woodhouse's letter it is ascertained that after fully investigating the charge against thisfeeim-cu ilited ravage, Johnson waa taken to Motu and there hanged. As to tho continuous outrages committed by the nativo3 of the Solomon Islands, some inquiry was made yesterday from one, or two of the old ttaders who are at present in Sydney. It should be remembered that the trade from this port is confined to oidinary trade — the barter chiefly of wearing apparel, tobacco, and similar goods, for copra and such products as the natives prepare. . There is no traffic in " labour " for the plantations or other employment. Hence ib is that a sufficient explanation of the

MOTIVES OF THE ISLANDERS is sought* for. Upon this head the testimony of the tradeis here now whose expeiience entitles them to speak with authority, seems to be unanimous that the masfracies are committed entirely from a bloodthirsty sa\agery cherished by the natives again&b nob only the whites, bub against anyone, white or black, that chances to fall into their hands unarmed and are thus safely in their power. Captain Cable, a well-known shipmaster trading out of this port, &ays that " skull-hunting " is as rife as it ever was with many of the tribes. He also mentions as an incident in point that a number of " boys" (natives) in the employ of white men, on the occasion ot a massacre, and who were present when the murdered men were receiving a Christian burial, protested amongst themselves that they should be permitted to uso the bodies for food. Cannibalism, according to all that can be gleaned, still exists to a terrible extent, and the cruelty and barbarism still perpetrated by the natives amongst their own people is reported to be almost inerediblo at some of the islands in the Solomon Group.