Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-22

n, Contains Dancing MASKS, Wonderfully
Carved war clubs. blood staiped Dhg'
s.rs Made from fnmsn iionss' Paddles
and Mse..-shsrhs Teeth weapons
The rare.t aud At the same time the most
valuable collection Of south sea ourio1lilcs
IN etistencc, priceless IN that 10 contains
specimens which can never BE- rcplaced,
may 10 seen In the American Museum OF
Natural ffla,ary NJ Sovcntyscvruih street
and Eighth avenue. II u known ~ the
sturgis collection, and represents not only
on expenditure " thousands ~ dollars 10
cash. bnt nearly twenty-five year a search
~ the United States and quest OF more
than thirty years previous 10 that tine
among the islands Of the South Paoiho
ocean.
Contained IN sixteen cases, each feet
wide. 10 feet high aud 10 fee, Iona. extend.
Ing along the entire east side of the third
floor Of the building, are over o,ooohriicles'
the greater part of them beautiful, Others
les 30, but all Of them quaint and curious
and possessing particular Interest for
CIVILIZED people
Any number Of these curiosiilcs repre-
sent IN epoch IN different south Sea isl-
ands long passed. Such specimens u Ia
impas.lblc IN these days 70 duplicate.
While there 4 no end 10 The odd and In
,er,aflng curioslties IN the collection, yet
visitor will lind his attention directed par
tlcuiariy 10 the masks from New Ireland,
New Guinea and Solomon Islands. These
were used IN former days In religious
dances and ceremonies. and were 10 made
that they could b. worn over tho bead.
The faces are carved from wood, and hide
ously ornamental With red and white
paint. Tho upper part consists Of frame
work o. pliAble wood, covered either with
native sponge or with slnnet made from
oocoanut fiber. The eyes arc represented
by small gr,cn and white pcriwlnklo shells.
wFAroSs or WAR
Prom the Solomon, New Hcbtides and
New ireland Islands u large collection OF
how. and arrows, tho former seven or eight
and the latter about i've fee. long. The
arrows nre tipped with bone or hard wood.
No Iron n found IN the Islands, and the
wood l. hardened by fin TO give u the
proper degree Of strength and rc-latance.
Two particularly Interesting hut horrible
specimens cone from New Guinea IN the
form Of dnRgvrs made from tho bones 81
human legs The bones are about seven
inches long, tho sockets being used ~
handles, while the other end II Hhnrpcnoi
20 point. Thclo phastly cuflosities were
captured by the crew Of n whaling ship
Turing fight with the natives ~ the Isl
,i,. aud the stains made by human blood
mn readily be disoerned.
Specimens OF nno carving are very nu.
mcrouu. being especially noticeable In the
case Of canoe paddles, war clnbsand mace.
used a. badgt. Of Office on ceremonial
oooaslons Many are ornamentod with
mother Of pearl Or abalonc shell. The In
trlcatc designs, remarkable for their regu-
lArlty aud finish. arc tho results Of years
Of slow and careful work, much Of the
carving having boen begun bya father md
completed by his sou after the death Of the
former. There being no metal too,a IN the
Islands In those days. the carving had all
TO be done with pieces OF shell or with
sharks teeth.
Two ino war club. from tho island Of
santa Cruz, In the Solomon group. are
wonderful specimens Of the carvcr's skin.
II was In the vicinity Of this island that
the great French navigator, Ia Perous.,
was wrecked. In i7s5 King Louis XVI 81
Franco sent him to the South seas on
voyage OF discovery. No tldlnes having
been received Of tho expedition, the king
sent second expedition 10 the South sea.
Ia i'pi, with instructions To search for thu
missing explorer. hut beyond the fact oh.
tained from some natives that several
French ships were wrecked on the island
Of Santa Cruz In i'ss. this being verified
by the finding OF relies from the missing
ships. no further tidlnas were ever heard
OF the great French navigator
ogNAMiiNrs AND IDOLS.
The collection Of Islc ornaments aud
weapons Is especially fnc. These come
more particularly from New Guinea aud
the early Maori settlements Ia New Hea.
land, while many specimens are products Of
Manp,la, IN tho llcryey group. Heads Of
fade, used for battle axes and AIDES, Aru
quite numerous, being firmly fastened 20
carved handles by strips Of the finest plnlt.
ed Slnnct. The finest specimens Of ornn.
mcnted plating come from Mnngaln, the
sinnct being laid on 70 firmly and evenly
and IN such variety Of designs that tho
work bears the appearance III having been
done by machinery. The handle Of the
implement u In many Instances hollow,
the native workman having contriyed 10
cut away the wood through tho Intervals
between the upright pillars. The carving
was all done with sharp stone ora sharks
tooth dashed TO handle
New Zealand, New Ireland and tho Mar
quesan group, the kingsmill aud Easter
Islands contribute number Of wooden
idols varying In length FROM twelve inches
TO three feet, and much resembling In de.
align those In Use by the Indians Of Alaska.
The heads Arc fashioned with either for.
bidding or grotosque features. Dogs teeth
arc oftcn set In the mouth. while the eyes
are made Of mother OF pearl, In the center
OF each being set black bead TO represent
the pupil
Twosulis Of armor from Samoa, made ~
coooanut ilher, hre among the rarcst and
finest specimens In tho collection. Each
suit "A made Of two pieces and corresponds
IN form 70 a European coat and pair Of
trousers. The plating Is done 40 ilnely and
closely that II would offer strong resist,
anee To modern bullet At reasonable
distance. These specimens were brought
10 Nantucket by n whaling ship In 1864.
Such armor has long been out o. dRto In
Samoa Not single suit eau 10 found Ia
The island. today.-John Z. Klein In Now
York World.