Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-23
IN NEW GUINEA.
CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS OF NC
TORlA'S CANNlBAL SUBJECTS.
Work OF Three English Missionaries
Houses in High Trees-Cannibalism
As a Token Of Anectiou-The Sage In
dnstry--Birds of Paradise

Houses in High Trees-Cannibalism
As a Token Of Anectioo-The Sage In
dustry-Birds Of Paradise.
And now what is the character of this
land which, after so many abortive at
tempts, has at last come to the birth Of
annexation Along the coast of consid
cradle part Of it missionaries have been
established for some seventeen years
now. There are three English mission
aries and many Polynesian converts who
act as teachers and preachers. And.
whatever opinion may be held Of the work
Of missionaries in general, there are no
two opinions held by those who know the
place about the good that has been done
BY these New Guinea men.
Their aim has not been to add a num-
Der of baptisns to their record, as savages
hang scalps to their girdle for an evidence
OF their success; nor have they measured
the Christianity Of their converts by the
amount Of clothing which they wear. But
they have instilled confidence in the good
ness Of human nature where there was
none before; they have taught the ad-
vantages Of peace and industry where be-
fore there was only unceasing bloos!shed
and warfare
has been gained Of the habits Of such Of
the native rs inhabIt the southern coast
line. But Of the many thousands who
live In the interior very little has been dis
covered.
Among such Of the natives as have been
visited. one Of the most peculiar charac-
teristies j. the inaccessible position in
which they frequently place their houses.
This no doubt, il the direct outcome Of
the state Of constant intertribal warfare
In which they have so long existed, and
which even now Is not altogether stamped
out Some Of their houses are built Ia
high trees up IN the narrowest and most
inaccessible ridges OF the mountains To
these bamboo ladders are the only means
OF approach, and vines are often cult
waited TO run up the ladders to give them
strength and make the ascent and descent
easier. Other tribes-and there are many
Of those living along the coast-buld their
villages some distance out at sea on piles
OF mangroye wood, standing eight or ten
feet out Of the water There are villages
Of this kind built altogether away from
the shore, in the shallow waters Of the
southern coast, containing as many as
400 or 800 people and perhaps forty or
ffty houses
II is commonly said, and no doubt is
often the case that savages eat their van
qushed foes in faith that by so doing they
inherit from them their noblest qualities;
but il appears to be peculiar to the New
Guinea natives to eat their kindred as a
token of affection. A New Guinea boy
was seized and half eaten by one OF the
many crocodiles that prey upon the coasts
Of the island. His Borrowing parents slew
afT.nHtptr and he
half Of their beloved son which WINS still
uncatcn, they greedily devoured it in their
grief When their kindred die they hang
them up, or lay them on a framework of
bambOos, for the sun to cleanse the bones
of flesh While this is going on they keep
watch near the corpse, and at intervals,
when their grief becomes too much for
them, they visit II aud smear their bodies
all over with the juices that are dropping
from the dead body. When decay has
done lis work the bones are cleaned, and
some Of them are buried, while others are
worn as ornaments by the survivors, and
the skulls decorate their houses. In other
tribes the bodies are buried in n sitting
posture mp 10 the neck and vessel is
placed over the head. In these cases the
skull alone is preserved for ornament, the
rest Of the body being left beneath tn. soil.
I;it though so burbarous in some of
their habits, the natives of this place are
far superior To those Of Australia in most
ways. Many of them cultivate plants for
food Some of them make pottery which
they exchange for sago with those stu
atrd in more fertile districts than them
selves Others devote all their time to
catching fish, and these, too, they barter
Tor cocupuutS or yams or bananas, while
f.. ~.
weapons of uilensc and shields, and many
can make n tolcrable kind of cloth from
the bark of trees, good canoes or service
able bows and arrows.
The sago industry, especially, is a valu
able one so much food can he produced
with SO little labor. and the tree grows
we'll and ahuudnntly in New Guinea The
m-,hnl ui Obtaining the sage is to cut
duWu the tree and remove a slice of bark
from the upper surface of the felled trunk.
The inner wood of the tree which is
throughout a Kind Of pith, is then pounded
down with rough instruments made for
the purpose iututh trough formed by the
firm uster bark of the tree.
A. this p!th Is pounded down il is taken
ont IN yc->rl. formed of the sheathing
leaves Of the st,o palm and carried to an
other trough near by, formed. like the
first. of the bark of another sage palm
Here it is pressed through a rough sieve,
formed again of hher- from the sago palm,
into water. where the starchy part dis
solve and settles in the bottom rs u sedi-
meut This sediment, though not the
prluuIied Sage of commerce, j. the form
in which the natives eat the food and it
make, excellent cakes or mush
Another wen known production of New