The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-27
The Experiences Of a German Ex-
plorer in the Wilds Of New
Guinea.
Pretty Women Sold Cheap, but
Others q Drug on the
Market.
A Rich and Fertile Region About Which
the Caucasian Race - Yet Knows
Nothing.

Is. LlnnemaNn, an engineer repEeseAsAAk
the agricultural department Of the German
government, arrived in San Francisco re-
Gently after three years. exploration
among the cannibals of Now Guinea, say
the Examiner. Germany owns, or rather
has a protectorats over. about half of thss'
islands, while England and other countries
control the others. Mr.. Linneman's worl
was both as a surveyor of lands and as
commissioner OF the German government
in settling claims made by the New Gnines
company fortlands. He had many thrilling
experiences among the sayaRes and had to b
on his guard very warily on many occasions
because Of the danger that surrounded him
On one occasion he found himself nearly
100 miles from the ocean in the midst Of
the tropical forests, while IN all sides were
bands of wild savages. He had but one
European in his party, the remainder being
tbs semi-civilizsd blacks that frequent ths
trading post of the New Guinea company.
Fascinated by his explorations he scarcely
realized he was SO far away till the aston
ished natives swsrmed around him, curious
to learn where a man with so white q skin
came from. mo European had ever before
invaded these forests said Mr.. Linnemann
at the Occidental last night. my feet
pressed the earth remote from the explora-
tions of the Caucasian race. 1t was the ma
tive home of the sayages. Many of them
had mover been near the coast, and had
scarcely any knowledge of it except by
hearsay, consequently their knowledge was
very vague. .....|
81 was interested beyond measure in their
strange customs. They were naked. Not
a thread of any kind do these natives wear.
Men and women alike appear as on the day
of their birth. They are large, stalwart
savages, strongly built. and with crispy
black hair and eyes. Their skin is scare ely
SO dark as that of the Samoans or
Hawaiians. Fol indeed they are of another
race. The Samoans and nawaiians are
POlynesians, but these are Papuans. Many
of the men are six feet high, but most of
them are about five feet eight or fvs feet
ten inches. The women are also of good
size, we'll developed and often handsome.
The women, however, have no influence
over the men. A white man can buy a
woman for enough of the native money to
make, say, from two to FIVE pounds. A
very pretty woman can be got for that. and
often for less. Ono VIII o is not very pretty
can be got for half that, and an ugly one
for q good deal less. When q man has
bought a woman she is his absolutely, and
if she violates her faith with him she is
about that. They will not kill and eat her
at or near our trading posts, for years ago
we began infictin9 severe punishment on
them for cannibalism. but they will lure
her away to the woods and then cut off her
head and cook her up. We never hear of
such m again.
at is only for such things that a tribe
will 30 dispose Of one Of its members, but
tribe preys upon tribe. steals men and
women away from each other and eats them.
The German government and the Now
Guinea company do all possible to prevent
this, but they cannot stop it. The savage
~acconplishes il in the woods remote from
the posts. and about all We know is that the
natives are disappearing. No member of a
tribe will come down to the coast and tell of
it.
II explored the interior in many different
directions. The Empress Eugene river is
navigable for 26O miles for good sized yes
sells, and up this river l made many excur-
sions. l also branched off laterally and,
crossing the valley, assembled the hill to-
ward the mountains. There are mountains
there which rise to a height of over 11.000
l did not ascend the high mountains. l had
no difficulty in travelling after getting out
of the woods which shirt the ocean shore
and extend up the valleys.
aside from these it is an open, unob-
structed region, and a traveller can make
good progress. Many of the lands are very
fertile. They will produce sugar, coffee,
tea. spices and almost everything else that
is grown in a tropical country.
II was charmed by tho beauty of the
scenery. There are great waterfalls and
deep canyons. The snow-capped noun
tains contrast beautifully with the palms,
cocoas and other products of tropical
growth. and the plains and hills are COW
cred with grass and flowers. Aside
from the fearful habits of the ma
tives, it is a lovely country and one
that in a time remote in the future will
support tens of thousands of happy
families. 1t is slow work. however, redeem
ing a land from barbarism. In time it will
be accomplished, but at present the canni-
balls bRck from the sea coast practice their
fearful rites. secure and undisturbed from
punishment"
The natives erect a tall pole near their
huts and on this they place the heads of
persons who have been ca ptured and eaten.
Those heads, MIR. Linnemann states, often
remain till birds Of the air and wind and
rain have almost denuded them Of flesh,
and CHASTITY and white from these eyries
they tower threateningly on tho bloody
people. 1t impresses the visitor strangely,
and gives him a weird feeling of the awful
character of cannibals.
CTTAJJNr nnN