The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-02
REAL NO MANS LAND.
AN ISLAND THAT Is PEoPLEp ONLY
WITH WOMEN.

L
NAV Be Called Amasons winning an
Iutsrview by the Use OF . Piece Of Red
Cloth and . Few Beads.
Nv attention was first drawn to the sub
,oct Of modern amazons by means of a
yTsnanese picture book, writes Edward |
Trsgear in the Christchurch New Zealand)
press. 1t had been exposed for sale In q
,atiye shop at Tokyo and attracted the at |
.ontlon of a visitor, who brought the curl |
oslty to me simply as specimen OF artistic |
,.ork The book consisted of a series Of |
n,otures delineating the adventures OF the |
crew of a shipwrecked vessel. The boat |
containing the survivors arrived on the |
chores of an island tenanted only by wom- |
on The artist had depleted with barbaric
Ndelity to nature and with grim humor
now the attentions of the numerous fair
ones became embarrassing to the small
Marty of visitors, until at last the sailors
had to fly to their boat and escape TO the
dangers of the deep rather than endure the
overwhelming attentions OF the hostesses
too fair and kind. The book and its sub
iect would have passed from my memory
ss mere pleasantly had not soon after
Sonnd what one may call the "letterpress''
az the illustrations, circulating as a legend
an the Friendly islands. A circumstance
eo remarkable as this coincidence Of ideas
An peoples SO far removed both In point of
distance and of race as the Tongans and
the Japanese could not fail to strike one
deeply interested In the anthropology of
Oceanica.
The Tongan legend was heard by Mari
ner at the 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 yoyagers SO hardy as japanese and
Polynesians are famous for having been in
mast centuries must have had some foun-
dation of fact on which to build so strange
tale. Its confirmation we have In the
relation of the celebrated missionary DIR.
James Chalmers of New Guinea. Here Is
bemodern account of the woman 8 island:
"At Port Moresby i had heard of
woman's land, a land where only women
perfect amazons-lived and ruled.
These ladies were reported to be excellent
tillers of the soil, splendid canoeists in
sailing or padding and quite able to hold
their own against attacks of the sterner
sex, who sometimes tried to invade their
country.
"To find so interesting a community
was of great moment AS no part of the
coast from the East cape to Port Moresby
would be left unvisited by us, we were
certain to come across the amazonian set
Element We heard that Mailiukolo (Tou-
lon) canoes with women were numerous,
and some very large ones with women
alone In the early morning we were oil
tho island and soon ready to land. On
crossing the reef we met two canoes, one
with men and one with women. We
signed to them to go to the vessel, while
we pulled up to the large village on the
north side.
"As the boat touched the fine hard
sandy beach a man, the only being In
sight. ran down and stood in front.
went forward to spring ashore, but he said
must not Finding he knew the Dauna
dialect, said to him must land, that
was friend and gave him strip of rec
cloth and stepped ashore, when he rar
away into the bush.
SAT our first approach could only SEE
this one man, but now l saw hundred
of grass petticoats on women standing un
der the houses could not see the uppe
parts of their bodies, only the pettcoat
and feet They were indeed quiet until
advanced nearer, when one wild scream
was given that would try stronger nerve
than mine and signs to keep away. 1t re
quired moro inquisitiveness than j pos
sessed to proceed. / retired few PAGES
warning the boats crew to keep goo
lookout and especially from the bush en-
of the village, where tie man ran to.
invited the dusky damsels to come to IN
II they objected to my visiting them; bu
no, must return whence came. The
had seen me, that was enough. NO, IN
friends; we must meet, and you will hav
some presents.
81 held up my beads and red cloth; but
strange to say, they seemed to have n
effect on that strange crowd. never say
so many women together How were
to meet? was the question. TO be bake
by them would never do. threw on tf
beach piece of red cloth and few bead
walked away quite carelessly and appa
emily not noticing what was taking place
A girl steals from out the crowd, stop
crosses her hands, pressing her breas
Poor thing, not courage enough, so hgn
ninglike she speeds back. 1t Is evident III
old ladies object to the younger ones
tempting, and they are themselves te
frightened. Another young damsel apo'
9or 10 years old comes out, runs, nait
walks catlike lest the touch OF her feet
the sand should waken me from my re
erie. Another halt, holds her chest, 10
Inc 6plrlU eDOulu tdko lts hiSho Va 'A,~ r.
terine heart jump right out fear IL w
beyond the slight patter then and ht
reached the stentorian thump OF serio,
times. On, rush, well donel she PIC
cloth and beads up.
81 have gained my point and VIII sot
have the crowds-no need to walt so ioI
to have the bats picked now, and aiter
few more temptings 1t is done. am
sieged by the noisest crowd have ev
met, and am truly glad to escape on poa
the boat. We went to the vessei al
brought her round to the west side, VINE
we anchored. Crowds met me on .
beach, but no men. / gave my peaus
discriminatory, and soon there was gu.
rel between the old ladies and the you
ones. The latter were ordered of and :,
cause they would not go ! must go. !
old ladies insisted on my getting in1o
boat, and, being now assisted by the =
men we met In the canoe, thougne :. y