The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-02-15

Experiences of DR.. Lumholtz In
Northeastern Australia.

Experiences of DR.. Lumholtz In
Northeastern Australia.
Tribes That Live Wholly without Gov
ernment and with Only n Single Law
Snakes, Lizards and Grubs
for Food.
DIR. Carl Lumholtz, of Christiania, Nor
way, the distinguished traveller and
anthropologist, is In Philadelphia, says
the Press of that city. Since 1880,
when he left his home In Norway, With
brief intervals, he has lived with
aboriginal tribes in Australia, Queens
land and other antipodal~ countries. For
months at u time he consorted with
tribes of cannibals who had never be-
fore seen q white man or come within
touch OF the rudest civilization.
The most interesting way to study
man is in his wild state" said the
doctor recently. when he comes in
contact with civilization he becomes
demoralized, and some years ago l went
to find man in his wild state in the
Northeastern part of Australia, and
ouu III "lJIlOub Su'picioh IiaO
was any thing more civilized than him
self. These tribes were hundreds of miles
beyond where the white men had pene-
trated and beyond tho tribes that had
como In contact with white mon. l lived
with various tribes of these abOriginals
for one year. They were cannibals, and
lived in a state OF perfect nudity.
During my stay among them l lived
their lives as nearly as possible. In
appearance they are of medium size,
but they are remarkably thin. They
absolutely nave no calves Oh their legs
whatever. or course they are black in
color. They are not strong. but what
they lack in strength they make up for
in dexterity. They are complete
towards"
The doctor. in passing from tribe to
tribe, bought his immunity from harm
by distributing tobacco, of which the
natives are Unfortunately fond. When
he would buy his welcome into a tribe.
the women, who do all the manual labor,
would be directed to build him a hut.
This was a simple affair, consisting of @
palm-leaf structure about Jour feet high
and long enough to admit the body.
SOuc WSEo hOb diu IA lcR5 WSr0 al
lowed to stick out of the man-hole.
They were simply used to sleep in. The
tribes were all nomadic, and these huts
had to be built new after every march,
or every week or two.
did you marry into any of the
tribes?"
"Oh, no." said the doctor, with q
laugh. 'but I had a great many young
girls presented to me. But they were
not tempting, and I let them go as
quickly as possible. Tho poor creatures
were terribly afraid of me, and as soon
as those who had presented them to me
turned their backs | told them they
could go, when they would scamper
away like frightened deer. They were
given to me as a sort of q sacrifice to
appease my wrath.
For my own preservation l was
obliged to keep the tribe in mortal ter
TOR of me. This | did by means of my
firearms. / carried an American revolv-
er and q double-barreled shotgun, with
n choke barrel In which 1 could use
bullets. l am a pretty good shot, and
my craftsmanship was put to some
pretty severe tests. II l had missed my
reign Of fear would have been at an
end and / would have been killed. /
always shot of my revolver before crawl
ing into my hut st night, as a warning
that 1 had it still with me-"
The staples of food used by the tribes
consist Of snakes, lizards, grubs (which
was the doctors favorIte dish), bugs, all
kinds of insects and even vermin. What
stands with them for our Thanksgiving
turkey, however, was human flesh. 1t
is the great d~elicacy for which their ap-
petite constantly Graves. They call 1t
''talgoro," and the desire fer 1t is al
ways with them. These feasts, by force
of circumstances, are common. They
seldom kill a mcmber Of their own tribe
for roasting purposes, although coca
~sionally u child Is sacrificed and they
are too cowardly to go to war, and con
s~equently 1t Is very hard to got a good
supply of ''talgoro."
About the only way to get a good dish
of ''talgoro" is to ambush an enemy and
kill him from behind. DR.. Lumholtz
dispels n wrong general idea about
the taste OF cannibals, and that is they
do not like white mems flesh. They say
that II Is too salty and makes them sick.
But" said the doctor, when they are
hungry they will eat it." This, of
course, only applies to tho tribes near
est to civilization. Those with whom
the doctor lived had never before seen
a white man. and consequently had new
er tasted one.
They were anxious to do 30, and sew
eral efforts were made TO kill the doctor,
and he only escaped by constant Wig
ilance and the exercise OF fear through
his weapons.
The tribes have no form Of govern
mont whatever. They have 40 chief or
ruler of any kind. On occasions of
great moment they consulted with the
old men Of the tribe and their advice is
usually followed. They have but one
law and that forbids marriage between
blood relations. They have no form Of
marriage. Wives are taken and held by
the strong arm. When a black fellow"
takes o fancy 70 q girl, whether she be @
maiden or another mans wife, he grabs
her in his arms and runs homo with
her. He keeps her just as long as he
is able TO hold her OF until IL stronger
man takes O fancy TO her and runs or
Win neTs Inns CuHLOul ulakcS llI6 q
burden to the belle of the tribe. She
never gets . chance to settle down In
one home before she Is carried of to an
other. The strong men OF tho tribe
usually maintain quite a harem, and
have the ~best-lookiug girls, Of course.
DIR. Lumholtz estimates that there are
about 80, 600 Of these BLACK fellows" or
aborigines, loft In Australia. They are
most plentiful In the north, and are di-
yided up in many small tribes. There are
seldom more than 200 in a tribe. These
tribes are constantly at war with oach
other, but 1t is II predatory war and
not much damage is done to the com
batants as u rule. They do most of
their lighting from ambush, and will
never attack unless In the majority.
LONG-DiSTANCE GUN.
ita Inventor Claims That It VIII Fire u
Baii Ten MiieS.
\ 81. Louis shoemaker unm"d Custer
has applied for IL patent IN q gun
which he claims will shoot ten miles.
/ M