The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-01-29

jaws which they exhibit, is. Of course. a race
trait. From Capt. Cooks time until the pres
ent period, these naIives have been very often
and very differently described.
They -have been called friendly and inhO5-
pitabc, honest and dishonest. sedate and lively.
ell-louking and ugly, gentle aud fierce, gen
orally good aud, upon the whole, yillainCus.
All this contradiction means that incompetent
observers considered the entire aggregate to be
always and universally identical with the COM
paratiyely few individuals they were slightly
acquainted with in population numbering
10000 souls.
After the fashion OF most naked peoples the
New CaledOniaDs ornament their skins Both
MES AND WOMEN TATTOO THEMSELVES,
paint their carefully arranged hair red or
white, aud spend much time in adjusting the
fringed girdlcs which form their principal
covering. In making bis toilet native uses
a cocOanut trough containing water in place of
q mirror. Formerly the greatest luxury OBJ
tainsble was human flesh. but at present the
tribes are for the most part confined 10 a vege-
table diet, aud use the pigs aud poultry they
raise as articles Of exchange with ships.
New Caledonia is now French possession,
and its occupation and annexation were not
accomplished without some fighting in support
of a UNIVERSAL recognized principle governing
the conduct Of civilized nations toward savages,
namely, that the latter have no rights except
those which the stronger power may be dis
posed to allow. Spears used as javelins by
means Of a thT0wing-Stici, slings made out of
cocoa fiber, and serpentino axes and knives
made poor show in comparison with modern
arms; aud although the aborigiues do not
appear 10 have been deficient IN courage. they
had, Of course, not the slightest chance against
such adyersaTies.
In the great island zone Of the Pacific, the
Polynesians have been, like the Pelasgians Of
old ia the Mediterranean, wanderers on the
sea-" Compared with them, the Papuans rs
race are but poor sailors, although, as we
have seen, they have made considerable adj
vances i'm the construction of canoes and sail
boats. Their geographical distribution also
witnesses 10 the occurrence of emigTatiOns that
involved the transit of wide spaces of ocean.
Yet il is a singular fact that the New Caledo-
mans evinco but little of that seamanship
which seems natural TO the race with which
their
BLOOD Is so LARGELY INTERMIXED.
They scarcely ever venture out of sight of land
in those double sailing pirogues, which, despite
their obvious Disadvantages, must be more
seaworthy than ordinary canOes
The circular wicker-wOrk and grass or straw
thatched hut given In the plate shows the
usual residence Of a native family Those
belonging TO chiefs are Of the same style. with
more carving on the woodwork, and greater
display Of skulls Council-hOuses seem to be
absent. A long flute Is their only instrument
of music, and. in general, implements and
domestic manufactures are Of inferier quality.
As was said with reference to the Loyalty
Islanders, and tho psychO-physical phenomena
due to intercrossing and the effects Of foreign
contact everything by which mental condition
could in this instance be judged is apparently
Indicative Of unadjusted and incompletely-
| blended elements. For example, they have
lost or never possessed deliberatiye assemblies,
and are probably without much Of the disci-
pline these entail. IN many instances they
profess Christianity, but what is really believed
in and appreciated, felt and understood, Is their
own folklore Of ghosts aud fairies, sorcerers
and the powers Of darkness.
Their medicines are conventional simples, OF