“MAN HUNTS I HAVE KNOWN”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 925, 21 November 1933, Page 14

“MAN HUNTS I HAVE KNOWN”

THE MALAITA MURDERERS.

By

PHILIP J. CLANCY.

Formerly of H.M. Expropriation Board controlling the Mandated Territories on New Guinea and the Solomons.

A Bush Pursuit. GREATEST MAN HUNT IN PACIFIC. Now and again the cables of the world flash with the story of some sensational man-hunt. Such are the instincts of us all that we follow through the daily Press the absorbing details of the chase. It may l>e some wretched convict fleeing from Devil’s Island or Dartmoor; some desperate American gunman; a dangerous murderer defying the law. We watch and thrill at the thought of the hunt —for the man-hunt is the most absorbing sport of all. But there have been man hunts about which the outside world has never heard. I propose to tell of some of these, and to deal first with what I consider to be the greatest chase of modern years. The hunters were naval men, police and volunteers; the hunted, a ferocious and desperate Pacific tribe. The island of Malaita, across which the hunt took place, ie. the largest in the British Solomons, and not much smaller than the great island of New Britain. It is a mass of jungle, littered across enormous hills, and the temperature is one generally considered as suitable only to the nether regions.. One morning a big harbour on the north coast of the island saw the unusual spectacle of a great grey cruiser lying on the placid waters. There were no natives to witness the sight because they had all very wisely disappeared into the interior, following the atrocious murder of District Officer James Bell, and Cadet Lillies of the Solomons Administrative Service. Within a few minutes every available man aboard was landed on the gleaming beach; a hut wherein was found the remains of the murdered officers was destroyed, and a short service said over the graves. Stores were then brought ashore, and we set oft’ into the jungle. “Cortes,” remarked a white clad young officer to me, as we panted up the side of a great hill, “had a nasty time on his way to Honduras. Personally, I am inclined to think that it was a picnic compared to this.” Removing my helmet, to wipe perspiration from my forehead, I agreed. That day we completed four miles, through country such as I had thought could not exi*>.t. The thickness of the jungle, I can hardly describe. It was like a great green wall. Creepers entangled our feet; the Lewis gunners could not force their way through the mas-s, and the guns were returned to the beach. That night we had to clear a site for our camp, and it was almost midnight before the final sentries were posted, and we laid down to sleep. Our food came from tine, and our sole consolation was to be found in the fact that water was plentiful. Even then we were advised not to drink too much, because of fears that the absconding natives may have poisoned the streams. Wc had similarly to be careful of poisoned thorns, conveniently placed to catch bare knees. Our.first sight of the murderers was vouchsafed a few days later, when one of the police boys in the advance party with which I was marching gave a shout. We stared ahead, and made out the form of a native shinning down a coconut palm. Somebody let go with a rifle, but the native disappeared before

lie could sight his weapon, properly. Revolvers in hand, the ofiieer and I rushed forward as hard as the jungle would let us. Two spears sent us ducking for cover, at which we gave the order for the police to fire into the scrub. The rest of the x>arty had arrived, when a low moan from the bush attracted us. Two of the police forced their way in and returned with a sixfoot warrior, whose eyes were suffused with pain. But although a bullet had shattered his shinbone and he had lost a good deal of blood, lie refused to part with a slirecl of his. spirit. Weakly he snarled at us, showing his filed teeth. All the efforts of the officers could not get a word of information from him. We established, however, that lie was a member of the murderous tribe, and accordingly sent him back with an escort. It was also learned that the majority of the tribe were by this time well inland, and that we had little chance of catching up with them. Our only chance was to keep hard on the trail and eventually force the natives to realise the impossibility of continuing to elude the law. With this end in view, we distributed presents lavishly amongst the other chiefs of the hills, and enjoined on them the necessity of refusing shelter and food to the murderers. A fortnight’s march had so taxed the strength of the naval party, who were unused to the rough jungle going, that a conference was held, at which it was decided that they should withdraw. Tlieir dispatch in the first place was severely criticised, and eventually it was proved that the cruiser was sent only because of the fear of a general uprising throughout the island**. Accordingly, the naval men, most of the volunteers, and a number of porters returned to the beach, and a smaller party, in charge of district officials, continued the chase. Sporadiff captures were made of exhausted natives from various tribes who held them against our coining. However, there was a definite suspicion that the chiefs were sheltering the murderers, and that few of the tribes would willingly hand over the real offenders, who" had assumed god-like proportions ill their savage eyes. But the offenders were hard-pressed, and we knew that it was only a matter of time before they must surrender. Two months after the start of the hunt word was received that a large number of the tribesmen, with their women and children, were willing to surrender. These people had nothing to do with the actual crime, as they ha.l merely looked helplessly on while the chiefs" and certain trusted henchmen struck down the officers. This was agreed to, and late one afternoon the survivors were interviewed by the district officer in command. Most of the poor creatures were in an emaciated condition, and the children in particular had suffered greatly. The weary x>eople flocked into the village, which was turned into a temporary prison, and statements were taken from most of them. Four days later a runner dashed into the village where the party was encamped with news that the wanted chiefs were held by a hostile tribe some miles away. That evening the police tramped into the village, where six tall, handsome warriors were handed over, bound. Their primitive bonds were replaced by steel handcuffs, and, guarded by native police, they were brought in to Tulagi, where in due course they expiated their crimes on the scaffold. The Pacific’s greatest man hunt was , at an enck