Of all the savage blacks who inhabit the Solomon Islands* the Marovo Lagoon tribesmen were once considered the most heathenish, warlike, cannibalistic. At the turn of the last Century, however, Marovo had a Chief of Chiefs named Tatagu who proved to be eminently civilized. Long suspecting that there was nothing in the devil-fear to which the islanders had been addicted, Tatagu led a fishing expedition to sea one day, pointedly neglecting to affix to the prow of his boat a vine or "string" which was supposed to placate the devil, bring a good catch....
To continue reading: or Log-In