is own people during my stay, but would not, of
course, guarantee to protect me from the people of other districts (even
though he might not be at enmity with them) if I ventured into their
territory.

This was the usual agreement made by white traders who established
themselves on shore under the _aegis_ of a native ruler. Very rarely was
this confidence abused. Generally the white men, sailors or traders
who have been (and are even now) killed and eaten, have been cut off
by savages other than those among whom they lived--very often by
mountaineers.

Bobaran and all his people were noted cannibals. He was continually at
war with his neighbours on the opposite side of the bay, where there
were three populous towns, and there was much fighting, and losses on
both sides. During my stay there were over thirty people eaten at, or in
the immediate vicinity of, my village. Some of these were taken alive,
and then slaughtered on being brought in; others had been killed in
battle. But about eighteen months before I came to live at this
place, Bobaran had had a party of twenty of his people cut off by the
enemy--and every one of these were eaten.

I parted from Bobaran on very friendly terms. I should have stayed
longer, but was suffering from malarial fever.

After recruiting my health in New Zealand, I joined a labour vessel,
sailing out of Samoa, and during the ten months I served on her as
recruiter I had some exceedingly exciting adventures with cannibals
among the islands off the coast of German New Guinea, and on the
mainland.

On our way to the "blackbirding grounds" we sighted the lofty Rossel
Island--the scene of one of the most awful cannibal tragedies ever
known. It is one of the Louisiade Archipelago, and is at the extreme
south end of British New Guinea. It presents a most enchanting
appearance, owing to its verdured mountains (9,000 feet), countless
cataracts, and beautiful bays fringed with coco-palms and other tropical
trees, amidst which stand the thatched-roofed houses of the natives. I
will tell the story of Rossel Island in as few words as possible:--

In 1852 a Peruvian barque, carrying 325 Chinese coolies for Tahiti, was
wrecked on the island; the captain and crew took to the four boats, and
left the Chinamen to shift for themselves. Hundreds of savage natives
rushed the vessel, killed a few of the coolies, and drove the rest on
shore, where for some days they were not molested, the natives being t