The Dickinson press., 1889-04-13
AMONG CANNIBALS.
TWO YEARS WITH THE MOST DE-
GRADED RACE IN THE WORLD.

uS
The Cncivilized Black Tribes in the Heart
Of Australia-They Arc Lazy. cowardly
and Treacherous-Protecte by Tobacco
and a Revolver.
A remarkably interesting lecture was de-
ivered by DR.. Carl Lumholz, of Christiania,
Norway, before the Geographical society at
Chickering hall, New York DR. Lumholz is q
Norwegian scientist who few years since,
conceived the idea of penetrating tho widest
parts of Australia in search of flora and fauna
of the country He has returned from his
explorations, having passed two years and
more among the least civilized tribes Of men
now existing, and having trod over land and
among nations never before visited by white
| men.
The most interesting part of his experiences
were with the cannibalistic tribes in the heart
of Australia, of whom he says
"Of course, could not go at once and live
with them, but had to work my way gradu-
ally ! had, then, been in Australia more
than Year, and, of course, had acquired
some experience as to how to proceed with
them. ! now first began to associate with
them l, by degrees, became acquainted with
other tribes, until Mt last | lived with natives
who were in the most primitive state of life
and had never come in contact with white
man By civilized blacks we generally un.
derStand such of the natives US have to some
degree been affected by European culture,
but the extent of the civilization may he
briefly summed up thus-that IL civilized
| l-rn iI,nt l,, ,..,n k>o a.
kills a European: that he is greatly addicted
to tobacco, and fond of wearing clothes,
which he considers more as an ornament
than us useful article
THE POWER OF TOBACCO.
The greatest trouble was to get the blacks
to take part in my excursions, for they are
born ldlers and have fundamental objection
to any kind of work Luckily, in tho last
six or seven months of my stay in that re-
gion happened to find really good ser
want. He stuck to me wherever went, so
that my position from the time of his advent
grew much more favorable He was bv nc
means an ordinary black but was possessed
OF Il peculiar vein of naivctc, and so lie often
blurted out ideas and information of the
greatest value. In spite of this, he was not
at all free from tho treacherv characteristic
than the others and saved my life many q
time.
":As far rs this method was possible rod,
alone, whilst my blacks went on in front
one of them leading my pack horse At th.
foot Of the mountains a camp was pitched
and here the horses wero left behind, whilst
the saddles and brides were placed i'll u tree
so that the wild dogs could not yet at them
dense underwood there of course being i'm
passable for horses.
"My provisions consisted of fourteen to
fifteen pieces of OK flesh, picked and dried
with a small quantity of wheat flour to be
baked into bread in the hot ashes. und some
sugar When these provisions were OK
haiSted, which occurred pretty quickly, wt
lived. liked Tie a5orisines on young snakes
lizards, larvn, eggs and the like Ny ontti,
included IL largo white wooden blanket tina,
was u standing wonder and Il constant cnvy
Of the blacks. AS soon az unpackcd it they
made clicking noise, expressive of delight
with their tongues, and roared OUT 'ramm
tamin" tFat, fatg Anything that is very
good they call fat
"Onc of the most important things
brought with mo was tobacco, "a greater JOY
w eiio stlol u, iuSs lIul tue SeI peSL iOOt1 Az
Herbert river tho blacks did not know, be
fore tho arrival of the whites, of any s,imu
lantS at all. Tho tobacco served ne Instead
Of money, and FOR it they will do anything
even to selling their wives Among thcst
| people tobacco is always smoked, never
| chcwc'l and have often seen mother, car
| ryinS Il child on her back, hand it II pipe, al
which the child would take couple of puff:
with apparent delight. They often used t,
send in barter small bits of tobacco, wrapped
in gum, to other tribes, and in thut wa,
tobacco is known among remote tribes VIII,
havo never themselves como into contac
with Europeans.
Next to tobacco, my revolver was of the
| greatest Importance to me- Very luckily
tho natives, who do not themselves posses
even bows and arrows, have the greatest re
s.,cct for fire arms, 1t is, however, nccessar,
to keep up your reputation rs a 1ood nl4. k5
! man, elso you will soon lose their respect
Their astonish'nent is equally great when yot
hit q kangaroo in resting position, OF whel
you bring down bird on the wing They wcr,
especially afraid of my revolver, which They
/ looked upon as ncxha,istibe. made it my
business to keep this fear constantly awake
and every night before creeping into my hut
discharged my baby gun Us they called it
just in order TO refresh their minds us to tht
existence of this dreadful weapon
/ PRECAUTIONS.
Happily for me, felt in the winter time
tho cold at night, owing TO the great contras
with the heat of the daytime, and in co.lse
oWoE,. c.varol titpcc . "a,