The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-02-19
REAL NO MANS LAND.
AN ISLAND THAT is PEOPLED ONLY
WITH WOMEN.

They Arc Able to Defend Their Own and
May 10 Called Amazons - Winning nm
Interview by the Use of IL Piece of Red
Cloth and Few BEADS.
My attention was first drawn to the sub
]ect of luodcrn amaZons by means OF II
Japanese picture book, writes Edward
Trcgoar III the Christchurch (Ncw Zcaland)
Press. Il had been exposed for sale in i,
native shop at Tokyo and attracted the at
tcntion of IL visitor, who brought the curl.
osity to me simply rs II specimen of artistic
work. The book consisted Of u series of
pictures dcincating the adventures Of the
crow of shipwrccllcd vessel. The boat
containing the survivors arrived on the
shores If an island tcnantcd only by wom-
On. Tho artist had depicted with bnrbaric
fidelity to nature and with grim humor
how the attentions of shc numerous fair
ones became embarrassing To the small
party OF visitors, until ut last the sailors
hnu to lily To their boat and escape To the
dangers Of the deep rather than endure tie
overwhelming attentions of the hostcsScS
too fair and Kind. The book and its sub
Jcct would have passed from my memory
as II mere plcasintry had not soon after
found whit one may call the "lcttcrprcss"
oil inc illustrations. circulating us u legend
in the Friendly islands. \ circumstance
so remarkable as this coincidence of ideas
iii peoples 50 far removed both in uoint nf
distance AMI of race as the 1ongnns and
the Japanese could not fail to strike one
deeply Interested in tho unthrouology Of
Occanica.
Tho Tongan legend was heard by Mari
nor at tho beginning of the century, long
before any white colOniSts resided in the
Friendly islands, and although have not
been able To get the story direct from Fiji
or Samoa, have not the slightest doubt
that voyagcrs so hardy MS Japanese and
PolyncsianS are famous for having llccn in
past centuries must have had some foun-
dation of fact on which tn build so strange
tale. Its confirmation we have in the
relation Of tho celebrated missionary DR..
James Chalmers of New Guinea Here is
the modern account OF the woman : island:
AT Port Morrsby / had beard of "a
woman's land. IL land where Only women
perfect HnH2ons-livcd and ruled
These ladies were reported to he excellent
tillcrS Of the soil, splendid canocsts in
sailing or padding and quite able Ia hold
their own against attncks of the stcrncr
sex, WHO sometimes tried to invade their
country.
TO find so interesting IL community
was vi ti'dh ii!"lhcnl rs no part oil tho
coast from the East cape 10 Port Norcshv
would he LEFT unvisitcd rs us. we were
certain To como across the aniazunian set
Element. We heard that Mniliukn!o Crcu-
lon) cnnocs with women were numerous
ana some very large ones with women
alone In the carly morning we were OF
the island and soon ready To land On
crossing the reef we met two canoes. one
with mon ana one with women We
signed to them tn go to the vessel, while
we pulled up to tho large village on the
north side
AS tho boat touched tho fine, hard
sandy beach man, tho only being i'm
sight, ran down ard stood in front. |
went forward tn spring ashore, but he said
must not. Finding he knew the Daunai
dialect, 1 said To him I must land, that T
was friend and gave him strip of Fed
cloth and stepped ashore, when no ran
away into the bush.
At our first approach / could only see
this ono man, but now | saw hundreds
oil grass petticOatS on women standing lIn-
dor tho houses. | could not see tho upper
parts Of their bodies. only tho pctticonts
and feet. They wcrr indeed quiet until [
advanced nearer, when ono wild scream
was given that would try stronger nerves
than mine and signs to keep away IL re-
puifcu more lnQulsltiNcncsS than | nCS-
scsscd to proceed. | retired "A few PAGES,
warning tho boat's crew to keep u good
lookout and especially from the bush ond
OF the village, where the man ran to-
invited the dusky damscls to come to mo
IL they objected To my visitin. them; but
no, must return whence l came They
had seen me, that was enough no, my
friends; we must meet, and you will have
some presents
: held up my beads and red cloth; hut,
strange to say, thoy seemed to have 10
effect OH that strange crowd. | never saw
so many women together. Flow were wc
to meet? was tho question To be baked
by them would never do. threw on the
beach piece of red cloth and il few beads,
walked away quite carclessly and appar-
entity not noticing what was taking place
y girl steals from out the crowd. stops,
crosses her hands, pressing her breast
Poor thing, not courage enough, so light
ninglike sho speeds back. 1t is evident tho
old ladies object to the younger ones ut
tempting, and they are themselves too
frightened. Another young damse about
. or 10 years old comes out, runs, halts,
walks catlike lest tho touch of her feet OH
the sand should waken mo from my rev
eric. Another halt, holds her chest, lest
tho spirit should take its flight or the nat
1as -. - a