Part 5

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.

[Illustration: TOOTH OF A FIJIAN CANNIBAL

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.]

[Illustration: MODEL OF A BURE OR FIJIAN TEMPLE

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.]

[Illustration: OBJECTS FROM FIJI ISLANDS

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

I. THE SAILING SHIPS OF NEW ENGLAND, 1607-1907, BY JOHN ROBINSON AND GEORGE FRANCIS DOW. Large 8vo. (7 × 10), 320 illustrations, 430 pages, blue buckram binding. _Sixty copies were printed on large paper._

II. THE PIRATES OF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST, 1630-1730, BY GEORGE FRANCIS DOW AND JOHN HENRY EDMONDS, WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY CAPT. ERNEST H. PENTECOST, R. N. R. Large 8vo. (7 × 10), 47 illustrations, 416 pages, red buckram binding. _Eighty-five copies were printed on large paper._

III. WRECKED AMONG CANNIBALS IN THE FIJIS, BY WILLIAM ENDICOTT, WITH NOTES BY LAWRENCE WATERS JENKINS. 8vo. (6¼ × 9½), 13 illustrations, 76 pages, Fabriano paper boards, linen back.

Transcriber’s Notes

• Italic text represented with _underscores_.

• Small capitals converted to ALL CAPS.

• Obvious typographic errors silently corrected.

• Variations in hyphenation and spelling kept as in the original. Many such variations occur between the spelling in the author’s text and the footnotes written by the editor.

• Illustrations relocated to the nearest convenient paragraph break.

• Footnotes renumbered consecutively and moved to the end of their respective chapters.