West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-12-05
a HUNT IN NEW GUINEA.
How the Natives secure 0amo--A Lcprou,
Chief.


Chief
Recently IL was given out that largo
tract of country, about six miles from
here, was to he hunted. About seven
O'Clock the natives began to move, the
men with nets first. These are coarse
meshed, strong nets. about four feet
deep of various lengths. Far away to
the lccward of the grass to bo burnt
these nets are stood up with short
stakes. each mans net joined TO his
neighbours. The grass is pulled up in
front OF the nets to prevent them catch
ing fire The owners of the nets stand
by with spears in silence awaiting their
prey. IL is the fashion for all the young
men To wear their head-drcsScs and
iinery to the hunt. They shave tho
hair, their temples. every hair from
their eyebrows, and any other about
their face. All carry several spccrs
roughly made from hard white wood
The points are sharpcncd, aud every
one has u boar'S tusk or piece of glass
bottle To scrapc them as often as they
require IL. Little boys of three and four
years old, with their ornaments ON,
faces painted, and spears on their
shoulders, march along with the crowd.
A number of young girls go, too, to
carry water for the men. IL being IA
grand hunt, we Foreigners Joined the
company on horseback, Mrs. Lawes
being one of our party. The natives
always walk in single file, and the
hunting procession was very long
one. The meet was at "A creek half way
TO the Larogc River. This was the rem
devious, where all rested and waited
for strong, steady wind. The nets had
gone on and were i'm position.
The master of ceremonies was
Koitapu Chief named Sivari. When |
first knew Sivari, some years apo, Inc
was iinc-looking man, agile, and act
ivei now he is II pitiablc obicct-hs
toes and fingers eaten away by lcprosy
and his arms and legs in "a dreadful
state. He can hobble about on a stick.
but he cannot walk far. Two of his
wives carried him by turn i'm "A nettcd
hammock ON their backs, suspended bv
band across the forehead. These are
some of the honors which fall 10 the
share of the wives of New Guinea. The
right to carry their husbands to the
hunting-ield is one of the women
rights undisputed here. The old sinner.
miserable object though he is, has had
six wives, some of them young and
good-looking, recently annexed TO his
harem. Soon the wind began to whistle
through the trees. and there was a gen
eral stampede. The grass was set fire
to in many places and was soon crack
ling, Kissing and blazing away before
the wind, The air was full of sparks.
and "a dense cloud of smoke rose above.
The natives shouted, the dogs yclpcd,
and poor, dazed wallabies rushed here
and there, some escaping spears and
dogs, but most Of them falling. IL re-
quircs a good deal of practice TO spear
wallaby going full speed. Sometimes
one would rush past with two or three
spears hanging from him and u bcvy of
dogs after him. There was good deal
of slaughter and some scores oil walIaby
carried in. One man was badly gorcd
by wild boar. IL is only very plucky
men who will face these. They carry a
circle Of stout cane, in which is lashcd
some strong cord, so ms 10 form several
large mcshcs. This is held so that the
pig rushcs i'm and gets muzzlcd by il;
then man throws himself on the pig
and grips him tight until he is dis
patched. When they have tusks the
hunter often gets very ugly wounds.
The man we saw had nasty hoie
plowcd in his thigh 10y short tusk
The pig, however, was overpowcrcd
and killed. -NcW Gui,ica Cor. SudueV
Herald