NEWS FROM TAHITI.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2092, 17 September 1875, Page 2

NEWS FROM TAHITI.

Cannibals Eating each other on the Marquesas, . Tahiti, June 16, i 874. The savages on the island of Oberahoa better known to the English reader as 1 'ominica, one of the Marquesas group, have again broken out in a fierce war, and are practicing their disgusting orgies as cannibals. .Dominica is the largest and most fertile island of the group; but its natives are amoug the fiercest savages of the South Seas. Although the Marquesan savages were compelled to acknowledge the authority of France in 184?-, those on the island;of Dominica have never yielded obedience. The French claim the islands as one of their oceanic possessions, and have a Governor and small military power at Noukahiva. To keep the natives in subjection the principal force relied upon is the war vessels, one or move of whjoh is always in sqme pqrji or cruising about. SEVEN CANNIBALS EATEN B.? THEI* -' CAPTOKS. A fierce war is now raging on the island among rival cannibal chiefs, anil the latest reliable news is to the effect that in one of their battles the victors captured seven of enemy and immediately slaughtered them. This horrible act of butchery was followed by a horrible feast on the bodies of, the victims, at which war songs, war dances and the usual savage festivities were indulged in. As soon as the news reached here the French authorities took active measures for moving agaipst the savages. The war vessel lying at Noukahiva is to be reinforced by another war steamer and a revenue cutter or two. The- abject this time is to land sailors aad marin' s us>oa Dominica and attempt to capture thp cannibal leaders. It is very doubtful )£' this can be accomplishe U as the natives always flee to the interior fastnessW upon the approach of the French*;' W? 9* ' closely pursued by the latter, the rival chiefs unite their forces to give battle to their common enemy. ' • A imENCIIMAS- EATEN BY CANKISALS. A few years ago this place was startle^

by news even more exciting than that wo now have. It was then first reported that the cannibals on Dominica had captured and eaten three Frenchsailors, and also a number of natives captured in war. The authorities here dispatched a force to the island, which was successful in capturing one of the most celebrated warrior chiefs, in fact, \ he ambitious leader who claimed to be King oP the island. This warrior, now quite an old man, is still held a prisoner. He was brought to this place, had a sort of triiil, and was sent OTer to Morea, the island adjacent to this. He is to be seen.by the curious, and a more remarkable specimen of mankind it would be hard to find. He is tatooed from bead to foot and is almost naked,: never wearing anything except a light cloth about his loins. One of his retainers, a young warrior, is allowed to wait upon him. Besides this exiled Kintr. tlu-re are four other cannibals, his friends, on Morea. They deny the charge ot having eaten a Frenchman, but admit that a native enemy, captured according to their laws, makes an excellent dish, especially if he be young and has not indulged in the civilized luxuries of whisky and tobacco. SUPPLYING TH3 SAVAGEH W[TH PoWDEB AM) SHOT. BULLY HATH. A complaint !>as been lodged with the French officials that the American whaling Te9sel Helen Snow"louclied at the island of Dominica some time ago and sold the natives W,OOO pounds of powder, a quantity'of lead and a number o! old mu-kets The vessel came frcni Honolulu, where, it is said,. she ' purchased the articles mentioned. It is against the law to sell, or in any way trade such articles to the natives. One thing is certain, that, it is only by the greatest vigilance of the English and French war vessels in the South Seas that the natives are saved from pirate captains, like the notorious "Bully" Hayß and others of his kind. Strange to say, the .fiercest and most blood-thirsty pirates and man-stealers of the South Sea islands are Englishmen or Americans. "Bully" Hays of Samoa boasts that he was born in Yankee land. —Auckland >tar.