The morning call., 1890-06-13
PRIMITIVE SAVAGES.
DIR, Carl LumhOIZ's Australian
Investigations.
For Two Years He Feasts on Lizards and
Grubs With the Natives, Fancies the
Diet and studies the Tribes.

Dr Carl Lumholz who was sent out by the
University OF Christania, Norway, 10 study the
geography OF the Australian Continent and the
ethnography OF such native tribes as nave not
heretofore been visited by white men, addressed
the members Of the Geographical and Historical
societies last night IN the Art Association rooms
GU the result OF his researches during the past
Tour years.
Professor Davidson introduced the lecturer oil
the evening TO the large audience that had as
sembled 10 hear him. DR.. Lumholz is a man oil
about so years of age, OF well-deVeoped phy-
slQue and upaSsuming manners. On his coat
were DISPLAYED three large medals OF different
scientific societies OF which lie is member.
While he is a fluent speaker, a strong Norwegian
accent occasionally renders his real meaning
somewhat obscure.
AN INTERESTING COUNTRY.
In substance DR.. I.umholz said Australia is a
most interesting country to explore as its nor
nal conditions are almost the exact reverse OF
European and American accepted ideas. II Is
the country that has least changed in topography
since The final land upheayal Of The world, and Is
IN many ways almost now 10 the same condition
that IL was a few hundred years after the HOOD
subsidized. Tonight L Will only speak OF my So
jouin for TWO years in North Queensland Aus
his is the most lovely portion of that CONT
neni. and IS one mass OF The most luxurious ttop-
ical vetuWe. The lovely mountains aud valleys
are covered with the rankeSt ana most prOtuSe
vegetation, Palms aud ferns OF the greatest size
form the most lovely forests Imaginable. The
rainfall Is plentiful. averaging 30 inches year.
As no gold OF precious metals have as yet been
discovered IN this section, the whites have not
'oyerIuu tie country, which, like the native race,
IS In a most primitive condition. For selentmc
purposes. l determined TO live for couple OF
years with the Tribes 10 this section that mad
never seen 4 white man, adopting their manners
and customs entirely, and this l DID Tor TWO
years.
/ made my headquarters about sixty miles
UR fNPTR made
way 10 The tribes uBaccompanled by any white
man. After many attempts succeeded IN my
Efforts and went 10 live with them. l made some
most interesting ethnOloPlcal discoveries among
these, the lowest grades OF savases in The world.
THEY HAVE GREAT HEADS.
While they are called blacks they are rather
chocolate or brown cOlOred. AT birth they are
deep copper color that changes TO deeper
shade as they advance IL years. They have low
Ieeedlhg ioleheads ana strong Dulsins bioJec-
lions over the eyes, showing great perceptNe
powers The eyes are closely set together.
They 20 naked both IN winter and summer
Their teeth beautifully WHITE large and
strong, but as they use them Tor any and all pur-
poses such as splitting wood, stones, ETC., they
are soon worn level 10 lie gums. Their balf Is
thick and straight and very plentiful Their
size IS medium. Among them lew perfect
81 ecmens OF men and women are found ia
youth. but in old age they are most TepulsiYe
looking, especially the women.
All lie senses are remarkably well developed
especially sight, they can see small bee al a
distance OF 100 yards In the air and marx MS
flight. Smell is also extremely developed IN
them. they Lave great respect for firearms.
more treaeherous lot of sayages never existed
aad many times l escaped death al their hands
by the mefest accident.
To allow black TO follow behind you is to in-
vile death. They themselves urge TO let them
plecede you, for, as they say me opportunity 10
kill = white man from the rear while he is I'M
protected is one they cannot resist For this
reason | always LEI them lead
EVERYTHING Is EATEN.
Everything IS eaten by them, aud as l had
no other food ate what they ate. We lived on
snakes, graSshoppers. toads, lizards, opossums,
kaugarOos, gru0S, Insects and all else that could
be got. Personally l preferred The lizards 10
snakes, the latter were too dry eating. The
liver. however, was quite palatable being gamy
and tasting ike grouse.
liked tie fat While grubS found in decayed
wood. They tasted when roasted better Than
omelette. They are all cannibas, decidedly so,
though they wont eat White mans flesh, as
they say IL tastes too salt. But they are crazy
Tor black mems flesh, and talk Of nothing else
Tie ud6its are the Kidneys and the sur
rounding fat, aud when they XIII one OF neigh
boxing Tribe these choice pieces are snNlously
sought after. All the Tribes, and fhey are innu-
meTdbl- are continually at war IA each other.
They think the kidneys are the seat OF all
strength. and generally cary a small piece OF
kidney and lille human fat IN q small basket
hung around theiI necks 10 make them fortunate
They have no religious belief in a Supreme
Being, though they think there Is bad spirit
that lives In a bird away out IL the forest. They
do not believe In any hereafter. At present theT G
are no missionaries in Queensland, and II theIe
Vssra 40 not think they could do any good as
. these saYages are too degraded 10 be reached by
any argument.
HOW RANK IS DENOTED.
They are not even advanced enough TO use
bows or arrows. All they have clubs and
slears, though ii must be said that III The use OF
that most remarkable weapon, The boomerang
they are wonderfully expert. Rank with Them is
denoted by ncised wounds made tranSyersely
across the chest and abdomen. and aTtticialy kept
open until they form high ridges. They are re-
- markaby healthy. out when they come INTO con-
tact with tile races Of civilization they die like
sheep from consumption and other diseases
They never use any medicine. Their language
il muSIcali the eOnS0nants are cultural ana the
general wordage is pOlysyllabic They can ony
count up TO three. Morality they have none. A
mans wives constitute his riches, and marriage
lis simply taking possession by force OF any
woman native ianeies.
10 keep The woman If the former husband OBJ
iects II is necessary to fight with clubs and
Shields aud so decide the matter There are
three annual meetings when these fights de
cided. They are never fatal and tile strongest
man keeps tile woman. AT IL the women are
married and when they are % they are decrepid
broken down croles They decreasing In
numbers very rapidly, and from an estimate OF
1000 as their number 100 years ago not
10000 are left now and they Will soou be eX-
tiuct.
large number OF stereoptic0n Views OF the
natives aud the Queensland district was then
exhibited, during which time DIR. LUmhOlZ sang
a number OF native songs, accompanying him
beaten together TO marx the time. A vote oil
tnAnks was presented to the lecturer tor bis All
dress.