The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1877-06-09
SINGULAR CUSTOMS OF A. SAVAGE
TRIBE.
From the Pail Mall Gazette. !


Some interesting observations On the
habits of the inhabitants of the Adamau
Islands by Surgeon Major Hoddor appear
In the appendix to the report of the
Army Medical Department for 1875, just
issued. The account given of these peo-
pie. though on the whole not unfavora-
BILE, does not leave the impression that
they form pleasant society, or that the
islands are desirable place of residence.
With the exception of considerable
variety of birds, there is a great detici-
ency of animal life-wild pigs and cats
are all that are known and believed to
1ist. Insects, lizards and snakes are,
however, common. The aborigines are
not cannibals. as reputed, and indignant
ly deny the lmputaiion, nor are they. as
mas been stated, deformed and hideous,
though not exactly prepossessipg in ap-
pearance. In hight they vary from four
feet nine inches to five feet one inch;
they are extremely black. more SO than
an African negro, and some of them have
loaded stove" They are fond of dane
ing, have a strong sense Of the ridicu-
lous, are exceedingly passionate and are
easily aroused by trlfles, when their ap.
pearance becomes diabolical. The men
wear no clothing and the women very
little. They cover their bodies with red,
earth, and as ornaments wear strings of
their ancestors bones around their necks,
or skull slung in basket over their
shoulders. They are tattooed all over
their bodies; their heads are shaven.
with the exception of narrow streak
from the crown to the nap Of the neck.
They rarely have eyebrows, beard. mus
tache, whiskers or eyeashes, and are
very fond OF liquor and smoking. They
are short.iyed and not healthy, not
many passing forty years of age. Their
language consists Of few words, and
these sound harsh and explosive, and are
principally monosyllables. Their chief
am usement, and indeed nearly their only
one, is dancing, and monotonous song.
and the music of rough skin drum,
by stamping on it with their feet. Their
| method OF courtship and marriage has
the merit OF simplicity. The youth who
! eats certain kind Of ray.ish. which
gives him the appelation of "Goo-mo, J."
or "bachelor desirious of marrying"
The girls who are manageable wear o
certain kind Of flower. The ceremony
consists in the pair about to be married
| sitting down apart from the others and
| staring at one another in silence. To-
wards evening the girls father or guard
ian joins the hands Of the pair; they
then retire and live alone in tho jungle
for some days. The islanders make
nothing but canoes, bows, arrows.
spears and nets, and these are necessary
to supply them with daily food. On
the first establishment Of the penal set
| Elements in the Andamans their
favorite occupation was numbering the
conviots and taking their irons for arrow
heads; but they gradually gave up this
| Objectionable practice, and now within
a radius OF ten or fifteen miles from the
settlement stragglers are as a rule safe
from an attack, though beyond this rad.
ius Europeans, except in sufficient
numbers and with arms for protection,
would probably be roughly handled. OF
late years "homes' have been estab
lished for the Adamanese consisting Of
large bamboo sheds, in which those who
come in from the jungle put up, com
ing and going at will. They seem
however, to prefer the jungle, ant
the attempts made to cultivate their &C
quaintance do not appear to have beer
crowned with success.