The National tribune., 1891-01-15

its alleged isolation. From reports OF the
Challenger expedition it appears that the
standard Of hight varies from that Of Hotten-
tots 10 that Of average Polynesians who are not
IS q rule understood.
But the most remarkable physical popularity
attaching 10 this division of MeIsnesians Is OBJ
served in their feet "The great toe Is much
shorter than the second sometimes to the ex-
tent of half an inchl, and combined with this
the natives have such control over the motions
of their toes that they can be used with nearly
as much facility as the fingers, and she feet
thus show the closest resemblance to those Of
apes which has yet been found among the races
OF men. That is q very incomplete statement
with respect 10 the facts Of structure uecessa-
Tily implicated ia this phenomenon, but so far
as it goes its meaning may be thus expressed:
An Admiralty Islanders foot is
LIKE THAT OF AN APE,
because he uses the member in tho same way,
though not to like degree. In both cases the
anatomy of this organ, so far IL permits pre-
hensile action, represents n reveEsiOn toward q
quadrumanous form which has passed from
among living species and left no fossil record.
Now, the muscles which move the toes of
men and anthrOpoids arc sOldered more or less
completely to the Ankle-bOnes, and the skele-
ton of foot among civilized races sufficiently
adjusted at this articulation from what it is
among infants Of similar types, in certain sava-
ges, and tho man-like apes.
Prehensile power depends upon 4 survival Of
function in parts which in the progress Of eyo-
luton become rudinentary. When the hOspi-
table natives now under discussion wish to do
honor to guest they put a wooden head
covering (such as appears in the PLATED that
looks very much like a earicature Of the cooked
bat which is worn by naval officers in most
countries.
These amiable snthropophagi, so It Is said,
do all that is in their power 70 make visitor
feel at ease, and generally Offer express their
willingness, to eat him if he should feel so dis
posed. Still they do not insist upon this like
the Solomon Islanders, or use any violence to
accomplish their wishes.
The evidences Of commercial relations with
other peoples have been found among them in
the shape Of manufactured iron articles and
textile fabrics which such utter savages could
have procured in no other way. At the same
time, foreign communication has given no
tineture Of civilization to these tribes, whose
only implements of home manufacture arc OBJ
sidian pointed spears FUSED as jaYelins) and
shell az. A certain amount of skill and pa
thence IA exhibited in the ornamentation Of
their boats, houses, weapons and articles Of
PERSONAL ADoRNMENT,
but their designs are more elaborate than artis-
tic, and with men who have no appreciation of
the value of time the care bestowed OH unim-
portant things and the labor wasted upon arti-
cles that cannot last frequently give rise TO
erroneous ideas Of their industry. No savage
is ever Industrious though many primitive
races show themselves capable of much spas
mOdic energy and a considerable amount Of
labOrious trifing.
During the past 10 years We have been made
partially acquainted with the natives OF the
larger islands Of the New Britain Archipelago.
II is stated in the reports OF Government ex-
ploTations and by private travellers that in New
Hanover these are 3 reddish-cOlOred, WELL
formed, muscular race of medium hight, and
that their features differ from the best Papuan
type in the thiekening and aattening Of their
noses and retreating foreheads. This frontaily-
malfoTmed head IS covered with close cropped,
crispy hair, growing in tufts.
lighter shade Of skin is generally found
among the New Ireland tribes, but their aver
age stature and bodily development falls below
that Of their neightors of New Hanover. In
New Britain the people have still lighter COM
plexions, their hair is longer and less frizzlcd
while the proportions Of their frames are de-
fectiye and their muscular development ineOm-
plete.
The eranial capacity Of these islanders is
quite small, 10 cubic inches of brain being about
the usual amount present in such specimens az
have hitherto been examined. There is q
report to the effect that
TAILED EACE EXISTb
in the interior Of this island. Many such
stories have been current about little known
sayages in various parts of the world and have
turned out to be false. If they were true, they
would prove nothing but an arrest Of the proc-
ess by which mankind at large get rid Of those
distinct tails with which all human beings at
one period of development are provided.
Beyond what is for people under their condi-
tions of existence very natural disposition to
steal, the populations of this archipelago seem
to be in the main kind hearted, cheerful and
hospitable. Being savsges, however, these
traits are someShat Obseured by propensities
incidental to an immature state everywhere.
They may differ in the expression Of their quail
tiles TO some extent, but upon the whole such
dissimilarities generally resolve themselves into
differences in the circumstances under which
unevOived races are observed.
Thus these benevolent natives are fond of
war, carried on according to primitive meth
DDS; they are also said TO be treaeherous and
| cruel, which latter are matters Of course; and
| Furthermore we learn that they are strongly
| addicted TO cannibalism. At tho same time,
they live in fixed residences, cultivate the
| earth to some extent, possess much skill as
fishermen, exhibit considerable ingenuity in
| wood carving, and In New Britain use the bow
and arrow in conjunction with the spear.
Absolute nakedness appears to be the rule
among the aforementioned people, unless fllet,
| which confines their hair, can be looked upon
| In the light Of clothes. Still, the women, both
| OF New Hanover and New Ireland. wear an
| apron, and sometimes a short kilt. Mat elOaks
have also occasionally been seen.
Iron is unknown in the east Of this group,
but in partial use by the inhabitants of the
western islands. All of them adorn themselves
with similar scarifcatiOns, paintings, piercing
| of the nose, dragging down of the ear lObes and
construction of their limbs by bands and brace
/ lets. On festival occasions they wear a gro
tesque wooden mask, not on the face but on the
| head, while vail pendant from its lower edge
conceals their features. There is no resem-
blance between the language of this division Of
the Melanesans aud any known dialect of New
| Guinea. Highly adorned as they are, all their
| tools, implements and weapOns-their spears,
clubs, sings, baskets, cocoanut cups, ealabashes,
| pandean pipes, bamboo jewshsrps, crooked
handled stone axes, etc, are invariably of q
/ low grade workmanship
| Here also is to be seen the transition from the
"dugouG" OF canoe fashioned from a tree-truuk
TO a rude boat made OF planks. Dogs and poultry
| constitute their only dOmesticated animals,
and they 1.-Two chiefly upon taro, yams, bananas,
! cocOanuts ami fish. Rectangular or rounded
| bamboo huts with d palm matched gable roof
| serve IS residences.
Little is known oftheir religious ideas, orany-
| thing concerning their general culture, other
/ than what has been described. MonOgamy is said
| to be the rule, but wives are bought, and some
| have more than one. There are chiefs of diff
/ terent grades who appear 10 exercise authority,
| and traces OF the Polynesian tabu system have
| been observed at some places Finally they
| have no intoxicating drink, and as was before
said, this indicates great degradation, since