cannibal chief in Solomon Islands
The following story is based upon a real life account written by Forrest Frank based upon a story by Captain John Wyrill. These appeared in the Scarborough Daily Post in 1920 as part of the 'Sea Dogs' stories by Forrest Frank.
"Another voyage outwards to Launceston with general merchandise, also out of the wool season, induced me to try another trip to China, but not caring to proceed there empty, I went to Newcastle, N.S.W., and got a freight of coal for Shanghai at 48s a ton, which was not bad business. On the way I put in at Stuart Island, in the Solomon Group, for fresh provisions. We came to anchor at night, and soon after we had swung to it, a native came off in a canoe, and telling us he was the chief, ordered me to take the mast head light down; he said that the people were cannibals, and he would not be able to keep them in check. I did not believe him, and refused; he turned to be no more the chief than I was, his object being to secure all the trade of the ship to himself. Other canoes came soon after daylight, and, to my alarm, we speedily had over a hundred natives on the deck. I wanted to buy in bulk but every man was a private trader, and pigs, fowls, yams, eggs, and fish were all scattered about in separate lots. We got a dozen pigs for a plug of tobacco apiece, and turned them down in the hold amongst the coal, and for brass buttons chickens and anything offering could be had. One of the seamen bartered away an old straw hat, and as the Solomon Islanders hair is very wiry and bushy, and sticks straight up, it was amusing to watch the new owner with it upon his head, paddling a few strokes, and then having to stop to jam his hat down, which would shoot up like an opera hat after a few strokes.
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