IN CANNIBALS' COUNTRY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 324, 25 February 1910, Page 5

IN CANNIBALS' COUNTRY

MISSIONARY'S PERIOUS MARCH,

MARVELLOUS ESCAPE FROM A MURDEROUS PARTY.

By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright

Received 25, 12.30 a.m. Sydney, February 24,

Dr. Deck, a missionary, in a letter to a friend, gives interesting details of nis recent pioneer journey across the island ot Malaitai. He describes the island as "one vast forest, 25 miles across, its dim iuni. swarming with hidden, naked, d-'-wrate and treacherous people, who k.n and are killed, and | feast from human flesh. From a bag ; siting on his neck-many a warrior hand's , a fragment of human flesh. ,a bone, a finger, or a tuft of hair, as a talisman or trophy of some <lai'K murder. "■Three times previously I tried io cross, but guides failed. Owing to imports of murders along the trail, i •iiially, accompanied by four guides, succeeded. For the first few miles t!ie natives were friendly. We then entered the territory of natives against whom we had repeatedly been warned." Travel] ins through dense bush, through swamps, up and down mountains.) was very difficult and laborious. They frequently saw armed natives watching them. In one place swarms of brown naked men, armed with bows, spears .and muskets, surrounded them. / The doctor adds: "But, as usual, it came to nothing. We were soon shakiug Jiands." Later they liad an audience of .the villagers. They were given a 6ma.U house to stay in, but were not admitted to the men's living room, the rafte: s .on the inside of which were lined with skulls for generations past. "At another village we gathered the natives, and told the 'old, old story,' ' with bearded cannibals and stealti'.v murderers squatting round the cair.p lire.'- - For the next couple of days rain | greatly rdde<J to their troubles in travelling. liacT Io make their way through swollen watercourse?, and slid; l .down hillsides. Food was finished fc«;-1 fore they reached the oco.ji. . Afterwards the doc-tor V"-.! tlv.t a .party of natives was organised to c'lt Aim off. and so earn pigs and blood money offered for a white man's head. This party lay in waiting ready to all him, but, as the doctor puts it ,"with,out knowing, we took a different track. God led us a way we knew not, and neither did they, and they returned home empty-handed." One native frankly confessed to trying to shoot the doctor, \but would not, something holding him back.