MISSIONARY PERILS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 751, 25 February 1910, Page 5

MISSIONARY PERILS.

ITOUENEXiNG^;amidst:;; cannibals.! *'-V'S EXCITING;ixPEBIENC^.;-:'; :' :'-, : fIE. ; THE |-^;'/^rsctp]feN.-isii^s;!w';'^i!:; ' By TeleeraW-P'ess Aesooiation—OobrrUht • }] {'; : !y?(Kec;vFebruaryV2s/; 6.30 .α-m.),. ;■;-.': '.?'■.'■■:■'•.' '■!:^v.;;- ; fl'.".'■ Jebruaryr 2i.; ; .'. -''Doctor; Deck, .missionary^; Jn;a letter; ,tp ; friend, - gives : interesting".'; details',' of 'h^:>.recent,V ; pi6neer'.-j]'puriey.; across :; the; Island!of,fMalaitai," one: of •'the' , .Solomon '■Islands; : , ; He': described - the' island;as /.one y as't',: foresi.'' M'..'miles .'across,', with I : ..dim; ate,'..treaolierous \ people,,'. ;who', MUi and : are : killedi : • and , ; feast upon: human .flesh. • From > a'; bag : slung'-;around,:'the Vneob':' of ■ : many :■ of the;warriors'i hangs a fragment pf-;huinaii. flesh,' Cand, the .bone of;'V; finger 'and la -iuft jbf -hair .;• as > : a .'".talisman '-or" ;trophy/.:of r. soine.'A'dark'::'murder. , ;-' Three times;! previonsly; : he' had'- tried :,to ; cross,' but Vthe'guides, failed 'him,' .'owing' to ;re-' por.ts;?6f,' murders 'along ■ jie' trail.. Fifially,', accompanied,; by'-.1/four.;.; guides,, ho. ■ eUCCeeflM^.-';:;'^'. , :.~i> : '-',-':''-'-'^-V--!'''';Tv-'- ; ''.,-.'-'ii- 1 ':- , '-' f, \ For the; first few" miles;.the natives: we're friendly.'" \ The";"pari7;.'..thon: ; '\entered; the farri(»ryToi!-: : -riatiyes.\|iyMt!.wfidmVilie"y.' .had. be'en-'repeatedUyywarned,'; Travelling throughif'densey.'bush, through-ewampsj up'; : and ."/down: r prpvedi- very. , ;dif£icult'.'.and, : latioridus; , ''.'; They; frequently ,raw^ : . arm^'-'iMfivej/watching.'. &raT:;'"iit; one '- placer swarms -of - brown, '•■ naked men arrivedr ; with bowsj : .spe'ars;: and .muskets, 1 surronnded ■:;them;'-'. ,; The"dbotnr :" adds: -gbui; as":usual, .it.'cams to nothing. We: wpro , ?OTonfshaking^hands.'f':::.;^f:: ri yf;" , ;; : f had J audience :;with ..the :;vil■lagers,; and!.they .'.'were . : giTett i; smalt ;houie;. fo: stay. in;. v :-:iThey ,; -were " not admitted vie the men's; living robmVtnefafters ihsido ; which' were , lined ;yith skills; 'tho 'collection.: .other'. village'-he'■ gathered'the .'.natives, and toldjthe .old, old.story with;;bear(ledcannibals '• and /etb'althyv murderers'-, squatting roundv&eicampifire; v;V; : ;'-::: : ;;;;'^ ; -': :; :ThVrnext':coupleipf: : ' days .rain:'-added greatly i'to ;the;fttroubleslv:bf;-;trayelling.; TKi^.-ii^^to^irfaK/.thejff'iway/v'tlirougli". 1 swollen ! watercourses and: slide (down; the side:".of■; hills. :vThe '.'food; '- : supplies; were finished.'before;, they:,reached:;theV;oo2an..v

'-[Afterwards Dr/ : l)eolc':Heard!that : 'ai'' > paTtjr'' ■of : '-MtiT«'%M.''orgMiad/,fi\ i 'out:.iim , -bi!,' and eoj earn' pigs.' aid \ blood money:"offered lor.'a'iwMte.iindii'siliead.V.vThie-partylay! 'waiting'' ready;.to, ; Mil; ; 'but, ( . as i.fka doctor rpkt,it;!•;:,'^Without'.knowing : we.'took a 'diff«^V;^ckS : (^''l^M;tteVwa'yVJ i We turned v h.oxne. emptyrhanded.": , '. One. native. 'frankly, : ;cbiifefi6ed ,fco -trying■:to;ehoot."tte. "dfrctor, bnt'would not,' ''eomething liolduigt him;'-backvh-j'■'■•-'i =^ : '.;? ;;'- v;'.; ;v;': : ;//'::' ; ';■:"'.'

-f.^[Dr^:Pec^'^wiioV;'spent ;,, the-- ; 'fiißt i ':three; imonths of' last i-year ".in: New'; Zealand; addressing..' many-.- missionary ■ ineetingsj 'is ;the'ison ; ;!o£ Dr;- J.. 3?eild;;l>eck,: at' , ' one time'/a 'resident ofiiNelson,.,wlio.has.for many years.been.Kyingiiii.AnstraUa. -Dr., Deck is'attached:to'the South: Seas Evan-: gelicdl: Mission,' which .is .undenominational, 'and .whicli.'makes;itavoentro. the Solomon'»]£lands at Malaitai.]:.'; :'■;, ]'■&£>■