The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-06-30
MANS LOWEST Eee.

Austr.llan Aborleanea tho Most Deer.dea
OF Human BeinKs.
Ethnologists are agreed that in
their primitive estate savage men are
found at the lowest known point of
human development in the Australian
wilderness.
Very little is known of the cthnology
or early history of the inhabitants of
the great island continent
Chinese history shows that these peo-
pie were aware of the existence and po-
sition of Australia for centuries before
the time of Christ and for at least two
thousand five hundred years before its
discovery by navigators from western
Europe.
The Ma1aynesian peoples to the
north and west, proba bly, those from
Papua or Borneo, at oneA time speard
liza.
Even yet we know comparatively lit
tie about the Bushmen and their lives
in the dense wilderness of the untamed
interior.
When a coast schooner landed me at
Australia, says DIR. Eugene Stander.
had the impression that a trip of a few
miles inland would bring me to numer-
Gus settlements of the aborigines.
I made q tedious trip of about three
hundred and fifty miles into the desc
we'll over to the edge of the Great Vic
toria desert, without having discovered
single trace of the savages.
The semi-civilized wretches that I
met were indeed sorry lot. The
worst of the Hottentots of Africa, of
the Caribs in the interior of Dutch
Guiana, or of the Africans in Hayti,
are sufficiently bad lot to make one
feel that civilization is hopeless in
their case; but they are all, physical
ly, intellectually and morally, far be-
yond and above these degraded crea-
lures.
They had one, only one, reason for
desiring to ward of death. and that
great reason was--grog! Enforced pro-
hibition in that region would quickly
result in the total determination of
these miserable wretches, who would do
nothing to ward off their doom if their
beloved rum was taken from them.
The aborigines are a blaclS-brovvn
people " it'll hanging lower lip, promi-
nent cheek bones, high but narrow
foreheads, hattened noses, and very
long, coarse black hair. The latter
characteristic is their chief difference
from African negroes.
was warned that ''spearing white
men, was the principal enjoyment of
these savagcs, and 1 was led to believe
that to attempt to live SO close to them
as to be able to observe their habits
would he sure death.
Yet there, as often elsewhere, fo,lnd
that the golden rule was an excellent
safeguard and ''open sesame, - and that
it was but necessary to once Impress
upon them my kindly intentions and
my willingness to share food with
aboriginal visitors to assure me fair
treatment.
The trying climate, with its long Pc
RODS of drought, and the absence of
any of the Ruminata or cattle tribe.
must always have made the lives of
these Australian aborigines more diff
icult, and have subjected them to
greater hardships than have been
known elsewhere outside of the polar
zones.
The scarcity of food has given rise to
a degree of selfshness at meals that is
far worse than anything to be observed
elsewhere. was witness to how this
shows itself one day.
had strolled over to their camp Just
after sending them a wallabv had
shot. So eager were they for food that
they had not stopped to more than half
cook the flesh, and when I arrived they
were already at the feast.
The four men and two youths were
sitting huddled closely together, tear
ing the more toothsome bits of meat
from the bone. AS soon bone was
half picked they carelessly threw it
over their shoulders toward where the
five women of the party sat together.
The women scrambled for each bone,
and when they were done with it there
was not a great deal of flesh remain
ing. Yet what remained was expected
to suffice for the dozen or more naked
children from four up to fourteen. to
whom, in turn, the bones were thrown
over the shoulders of the woman.
This was pretty short allowance for
that half-fa nished horde of young
sters. yet, as five or six ha1f-wild dogs
struggled and snapped for the bones
with them, they did not always get
even that little.
My half-breed guide and interpreter
told me that it never occurred to the
parents that it was their duty to see
that their children had sufficient food.
In fact, were they to become pressed
for their own dinners beyond enlur-
ance, he thought that one of the latest
of the youngsters would be in grave
danger of having to servo in that ca
pacity.-Boston Globe.
Very PunctuaL
Jimson-Is Mr.. Noodles in?
Boy-Not yet, but expect him every
minute.
.'It's ten o'clock, isn't it?"
Most. The clock will strike in half
minute, if not sooner. There she
poes!'