By an Eye Witness

(Reprinted from “The Danvers Courier,” Aug. 16, 1845)

Mr. Editor. Finding myself in possession of a little spare time, I feel disposed to improve it in overhauling a range or two of memory, and agreeably to promise to commit such of it to paper as may seem of interest, touching on incidents which occurred at the Fejee Islands while on board the Old Ship Glide.

It was on a pleasant afternoon in the month of March, 1831, our ship at anchor off the town of Bona-ra-ra, the crew on board employed in making senett, spun-yarn, yard mats, and other ship gear to fill up the chinks of time, and particularly the ship’s lockers with such articles as are sure to come in play on shipboard, when you have not time to make them.

We were not very busy, neither were we idle; but it was just one of those sort of days at the Fejees when all hands had been hard at work all the forenoon, boating oil to the ship, beche-le-mer, weighing, and stowing it away in the hold, and having once more cleared up decks, felt released from the regular day’s duty, and indulged ourselves in a sail privilege of telling tales, singing songs and reflecting upon “better days gone by.”

Our reveries and yarns were unbroken by any orders from aft except, to strike the bell every half hour, which if it had no other purpose reminded us that thirty minutes more had drifted astern upon the sea of time.

Five bells had been ordered from the quarter deck. I arose to execute the command, when my attention was drawn to the shore by seeing a large collection of savages on the beach, walking towards the town. Having struck the bell, I proceeded to the side of the ship where a canoe with five or six women had just arrived, to sell us fruit. I enquired of them what was the matter on shore. They immediately told me that the men had been to a fight with the Andregette tribe (who lived about thirty miles in the mountains), were victorious and had killed and taken three of their enemies, and were now going to have a grand Soleb, or feast.

I had heard David Whippy, a man who had long been a resident upon these Islands, tell many a long tale of the manners and customs of the natives, and especially of their cannibalism, and I had a strong desire to see the manner in which they prepared and ate human flesh.

While I was considering whether I would ask the liberty I wished, or not, Capt. Archer came up and stood in the companion way. I went aft, made known to him my request, when he replied, “I have no objection but take care of yourself.”

This admonition was gratefully received, yet I felt by no means alarmed, having spent a great portion of my time on shore among the natives, with whom I was on terms of perfect friendship and good will, a circumstance well known to the Capt. or I should probably have received at once from him a denial of my wish to be absent from the ship on such an occasion.

I went down to my chest and brought up a few beads, which I gave to the women in the canoe, telling them I wished to be paddled ashore. They immediately threw their fruits consisting of a few cocoanuts and plantains, through one of the ship’s ports upon deck and considering the beads a compensation for both fruit and passage I was soon on my way to the shore.

I landed upon the beach just ahead of the savages who were coming single file to the village, entering it however by a very circuitous route and in a manner never done except on such occasions.

There were about sixty warriors, though a great many others were in attendance who had joined them while nearing the village.

The bodies of the three dead savages were carried in front, lashed on long poles in a singular manner. They were bound with wythes by bringing the upper and lower parts of the legs together and binding them to the body, and the arms in a similar manner by bringing the elbows to rest on the knees, and their hands tied upon each side of the neck. Their backs were confined to poles which were about twelve feet long. One was lashed on each pole, with six men, three at each end, to carry it.

Those who carried the bodies walked with a limping gait, bending their left knees almost to the ground, but doing it in exact time with the war song they were singing.

They proceeded immediately in front of the Boo-re (a large hut to be used only on public occasions) and threw the dead bodies from their shoulders with the most savage triumph. Two of them were untied from the poles while the third and smallest one, was by the order of the King, sent to some particular friends of his belonging to a neighboring tribe, from whom he had received similar tokens of friendship.

This was a great day at Bona-ra-ra. A day of great rejoicing. This tribe had not only been successful in their attack upon their enemy, but had succeeded in securing the slain. Little credit is given to the warrior who kills his enemies if he does not obtain their bodies; much more is thought of the savage who kills one man and carries him home, than of the individual who may kill a hundred and let their dead bodies fall into the hand of the enemy. Their chief glory consists not so much in killing, as in eating their enemies.

I noticed that a very particular interest was taken in one of the dead savages, and there were none present who talked louder or expressed more vehement gestures, or savage feeling, than an old woman. This matter I could not understand. I asked a young savage who stood near me, what was their particular interest in that man more than the other? He told me that some time previous this tribe had made war with the Andre-getta people, and the son of this old woman was a young chief in the fight and was slain; and it was believed that this individual had killed him. Whether it was so or not, the old woman believed it and the priest believed it, and that was enough for their purpose, for they only wished to wreak their revenge on some savage, though it were a dead one. I had seated myself on the large roots of a cocoanut tree in front of the whole ceremony. After it was satisfactorily settled that this was the savage who had killed the young chief, they proceeded systematically to fill up the measure of their revenge.

This old female savage went to her hut and brought all the property of her late son; such as sleeping mats, tappa, i-fow carlic, angona-dish, and some other little furniture which make up the necessaries of a chief’s dwelling. The angona bowl was placed near the head of the dead savage; a bamboo of water was brought and laid by his side, when several young men after well rinsing their mouths, were employed in chewing and preparing a bowl of angona. After the drink was made ready this old savage after a short speech from the priest, who had continued to make low gutteral sounds and shake himself through the whole ceremony, took her small dish full of the liquor and presenting it to the lips of the dead savage bade him drink. No sooner was this done than a general yell ran through the tribe—“Amba cula boy thu-ie,” he is a stinking dead man. She then dashed the liquor in his face and broke the dish in pieces upon it. She then took up her bamboo of water, and removing the tuft of grass from the end placed it also to the mouth of the dead man and again bade him drink. A repetition of the same ceremony was gone through with, when she poured all the water upon his face and then broke the bamboo in pieces upon his head, and told the men to take it to cut him up with. Bamboo, split to a sharp edge was called by them isulic (a term applied to knife), which instrument alone they allowed themselves to use in cutting to pieces a dead body.

The old woman had now gone her way knowing that her orders would be executed, and well aware of the strict prohibition against her, or any of her sex either to assist in preparing, or eating human flesh.

The head of the savage on whom this ceremony commenced was first cut off and laid aside, then the furniture that was brought by the old woman was broken up and placed around it; and fire set to it so that the whole was entirely consumed about the head, and rendered thereby in a fit state for cleansing; the hair being burnt off and the flesh so singed that it was scraped perfectly white.

As soon as this affair was ended a dance commenced as is customary on all such occasions. All the warriors who were engaged in the fight, and some aged men who staid at home, had now prepared themselves for this savage expression of joy. The Fejeeians wear but little clothing on ordinary occasions and on this they were in a state of complete nudity. They were painted in a most frightful manner, as great a diversity of painting, or marking was observed by them as could be devised, each one attempting to outdo the other in the most loathsome obscenity and savage appearance. They use but three kinds of paint upon their bodies which are black, red, and yellow. The black is made from a small nut which grows upon the ground, it is burnt to a coal and pounded up between flat stones, and prepared by mixing it with cocoanut oil. The red and yellow paint used by them is a mineral similar to our ochre, if not precisely the same in substance. The yellow is held by them in high estimation. It is mixed with cocoanut oil, scented with sandalwood and fragrant herbs, and is the first dressing received by the new born infant. It is called by them re-ringer.

There were about one hundred dancers who came upon the ground at one and the same time with terrific yells. Their dance was made up of the most violent and distended motion of the limbs, often prostrating themselves on the ground upon their backs, and springing again instantly to their places, without however for a moment ceasing to chant their war song in a very low but distinct manner. Their only instrumental music on this occasion was that of two savages beating upon the end of a hollow log four or six feet in length, which is always heard on such occasions, and also as an alarm for war.

Within the ring of dancers had the old woman’s command been promptly executed.

They commenced in their usual systematic way of cutting up a dead body. The heads of both savages being now taken off, they next cut off the right hand and the left foot, right elbow and left knee, and so in like manner until all the limbs separated from the body.

An oblong piece was then taken from the body commencing at the bottom of the chest and passing downwards about eight inches, and three or four inches wide at its broadest part. This was carefully laid aside for the King, it being strictly prohibited for anyone else to eat of it.

The entrails and vitals were then taken out and cleansed for cooking. But I shall not here particularize. The scene is too revolting. The flesh was then cut through the ribs to the spine of the back which was broken, thus the body was separated into two pieces. This was truly a sickening sight. I saw after they had cut through the ribs of the stoutest man, a savage jump upon the back, one end of which rested upon the ground, and the other was held in the hands and rested upon the knees of another savage, three times before he succeeded in breaking it.

This ended the dissection of the bodies.

While this was going on, the lobu or oven was prepared which was made as follows. An excavation is made in the earth of a concave form about six feet in diameter and a foot and a half deep in the centre, and smoothly lined with small stones. A large fire is then made in it, with small stones placed among the burning fuel for the purpose of heating them, and as the bodies are cut to pieces they are thrown upon the fire, which after being thoroughly singed are scraped while hot by savages, who sit around the fire for this purpose. The skin by this process is made perfectly white, this being the manner in which they dress their hogs, and other animal food.

To show their excessive greediness for human flesh, and their savage thirst for blood, I need only to relate a particular circumstance which took place at the time. The head of the savage which was last taken off, was thrown towards the fire, and being thrown some distance it rolled a few feet from the men who were employed around it; when it was stolen by one of the savages who carried it behind the tree where I was sitting. He took the head in his lap and after combing away the hair from the top of it with his fingers picked out the pieces of the scull which was broken by the war club and commenced eating the brains. This was too much for me. I moved my position, the thief was discovered and was as soon compelled to give up his booty, it being considered by the others he had got by far too great a share.

The process of cleansing and preparing this flesh, occupied about two hours. There was no part of these bodies which I did not see cleansed and put in the oven.

The stones which had been placed upon the fire, were now removed, the oven cleaned out, the flesh carefully and very neatly wrapped in fresh plantain leaves, and placed in it. The hot stones were also wrapped in leaves and placed among the flesh, and after it was all deposited in the oven, it was covered up two or three inches with the same kind of leaves, and the whole covered up with earth of sufficient depth to retain the heat.

It was now about sunset; the oven was completely covered, and a new dance commenced around it, which continued for some time. I ascertained by the natives, that it would be past midnight before they would open their oven, and being desirous of seeing the end of this affair, and recollecting that I had no anchor watch to stand that night, I resolved to go to the beche-le-mer house which was on the opposite side of the village, and spend part of the night, caring only to get on board the ship the next morning in season to turn to with all hands, in washing the decks. I therefore proceeded on my way across the village, when I met with Sina-beatee, a chief with whom I was well acquainted, who asked me to go with him to his hut, and take something to eat. I followed my host to his cabin, and made a good supper, after which I left him and renewed my way across the village to the ship’s house.

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.

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.

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.

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