OFFICER AND CANNIBALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14145, 21 August 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

OFFICER AND CANNIBALS.

' LIVING ON SNAKES IN BBAZIL.

Some wonderfully narrow escapes from death and many wild adventures, have befallen Captain Whiffen, of the 14th Hussars, who is now being treated at Barbados for an attack of beri-beri, contracted in an exploring expedition in the hinterland of Brazil.

Captain Whiffen, according to the Barbados Advocate, has penetrated further into the north-western portion of Brazil, which is inhabited by cannibal Indians, than any white man has ever done previously. He started in June last year from Iquitas, with an expedition of 17 Indians, whom he armed with rifles, and a trusty black servant, named John Browne, for Manaos, about 1286 miles distant.

His plan was to reach a point on the River Napo and then strike out for the river Vaupes or Valpcs, keeping to a line as near to the Equator as possible. Progress was, of course, slow, whilst through the rubber district, where the tribes were nearly all hostile, it was necessary to keep watch all night to guard against surprise, but without much incident Captain Whiffen reached the Petrumayo River, crossing it at the Equator, and pushed on to the Japara, or Cuqueta River.

Whilst in the Canebo district he came across a Colombian in charge of a collecting station who was being threatened by some tribes in league with another collecting agency. An expedition was got up to go and demand explanations, but on arriving at the Indian chiefs house a fusillade was opened on their party, and Captain Whiffen was shot through the leg.

The next danger was an ambush by the Tuchelkos Indians, but Captain Whinen heard of it in time, seized the Tuchelkos chief before he had any chance to employ treachery, and taxed him with entering into a plot against him. The chief admitted the charge, and quietly resigned himself to the death with which he was fiercely threatened, the captain deeming it wise to put up a bluff and carry things with a high hand. Eventually he professed himself mollified with the offer of a tigers' teeth necklace and the chief's son as hostage. The latter was sent back after a short detention. TREACHEROUS SAVAGES. Another misfortune was the desertion of the majority of the members of his expedition, with the result that he had to make a cache, and leave there all the apparatus and collections made thus far, after which the diminished little party again faced towards Manaos. A few days later all except Captain Whiffen were down . with fever, and after ten days the food supplies gave out completely. The rain fell in torrents, no game could be found, small traps, set Indian fashion, caught nothing, and but for a few lizards and snakes they must have perished. - ■ On the eighth day Captain Whiffen was in a. state of apathy from inanition, but a path was found leading to an Indian clearance, where food was obtained. . The Indians were, however, unfriendly, and after the party had rested there a day they attempted to kill Browne and the captain. The attack was not made openly. The Indians simply abandoned the house during the day and tried to rush it at night.

Not succeeding in this, they three times attempted to fire the building by shooting lighted cotton tow on to the roof by means of arrows. But his two Indian boys succeeded in extinguishing it each time. Curiously enough, they would not hurt either of the Indian boys or the woman. After nine days the Indians raised the siege, and the captain and his small party reached the Rama River, and, drifting across, found another tribe, whose protection they claimed. It was whilst stopping amongst the Menemes Indians that Captain Whiff en was seized with an attack of beri-beri, a tropical disease marked by swellings of the limbs, difficulty of breathing, and partial paralysis. This nearly proved fatal, but Captain Whiffen recovered sufficiently to enable him to reach the Japaro River after which he made his way in a canoe to Manaos, where he was given a hearty reception, reports of his death having been published there some months before. He subsequently recovered his buried articles, and has a large collection of native arms, tigers' teeth, curios, etc., and a number of photos, taken at various places along his line of march.