Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-07-30
REAL NO MANS LAND.
AN ISLAND THAT IS PEorLED ONLY
WITH WOMEN.
They Are Able to Defend Their Own and
May BE Called Amazons Winning an
Interview by the Use of Piece of Red
Cloth and n Few Beads.

they Are Able to Defend Their Own and
May Be Called Amazons Winning an
Interview by the Use Of Piece of Red
Cloth and n Few Beads.
My attention was first drawn to tho sub
ject of modern amazons by means of q
japanese picture book, writes Edward
Tregear in the Christchurch New Zealand)
Press. 1t had been exposed for sale in a
native shop ut Tokyo and attracted the at
tention of q visitor who brought the curl
osity to me simply as specimen of artistic
work The book consisted of a serios Of
pictures dolinoating the adventures of the
crow Of a shipwrecked vessel. The boat
containing the survivors arrived on the
shores of an island tenanted only by wom-
en-. The artist had depicted with barbaric
fidelity to nature and with grim humor
how the attentions of the numerous fair
ones became embarrassing to the small
party 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 SUBJ
iect would have passed from my memory
as mere pleasantly had not soon after
found what ono may call the 'letterpress"
Of the Illustrations, circulating as legend
lib the Friendly islands. A circumstance
so remarkable as this coincidence of ideas
In peoples so far removed both In point Of
distance and of race as the Tongsns and
the Japanese could not fail to strike one
deeply interested in the anthropology Of
Oceapica.
The Tongan legend was heard by Mari
her 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 arc famous for having been In
past centuries must hove had some foun-
dation of fact on which to build so strange
o tale. Its confirmation we have in the
relation Of the celebrated missionary DIR.
James Chalmers of New Guinea. Here is
the modern account of the woman as island:
SAT Port Moresby I had heard of o
woman's land, 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 End SO interesting o 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 of
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.
LAS the boat touched tho fine, hard
sandy beach O man, the only being In
sight, ran down and stood In front. I
went forward to spring ashore, but he said
must not. Finding be knew the Daunai
dialect, said to him must land, that /
was a friend and gave him strip of red
cloth and stepped ashore, when he ran
Away into the BUSH,
nAt our first approach could only see
this one man, but now ] saw hundreds
OF grass petticoats on women standing I'M
der the houses. could not see the upper
parts Of their bodies, only the petticoats
and feet. They were indeed quiet until I
advanced nearer, when one wild scream
vas given that would try stronger nerves
than pine and signs to keep away. 1t re.
quired more inquisitiveness th0h I pos
6essed to proceed. retired o few PAGES,
warning the boats crew to keep good
lookout and especially from the bush end
Of the village, where the man ran to. ]
invited the dusky damsels to come to me
If they objected to my visiting them; but
no, must return whence came. They
had seen me, that was enough. No, my
friends; we must meet and you will have
some presents
u held up my beads and red cloth; but,
strange to say, they seemed to have no
effect on that strange crowd. I never saw
so many women together. How were we
to meet? was the question. To be baked
by them would never do. threw on the
beach piece of red cloth and a few beads,
walked away quite carelessly and appar-
entity not noticing what was taking place.
a girl steals from out the crowd, stops
crosses her hands, pressing her breast
Poor thing, not courage enough, SO light
ninglike she speeds back. 1t Is evident the
old ladies object to the younger ones at
tempting, and they are themselves too
frightened. Another young damsel about
or 10 years old comes out, runs, halts,
walks catlike lest the touch of her feet on
the sand should waken me from my rev.
erie. Another halt, holds her chest, lest
the spirit should take its flight or the pat
tering heart jump right out. fear it was
beyond the slight patter then and had
reached the stentorian thump of serious
times. On, rush, well donel She picks
cloth and beads up.
u have gained my point and will soon
have the crowds-no need to wait SO long
to have the baits picked now, and after q
few more temptings 1t Is done. am be-
sieged by the noisest crowd have ever
net, and am truly glad to escape on board
the boat. We went to the vessel and
brought her round to the west side where
we anchored, Crowds met me on the
beach, but no men. gave my beads in
discriminatory, and soon there was quar-
rel between the old ladies and the young
ones. The latter were ordered off and be-
cause they would not go must go. The
old ladies insisted on my getting into the
boat and, being now assisted by the few
men we met in the canoe, I thought 1t bet
ter to comply. Long after we left the
beach We heard those old cracked, grabbed
voices matchmaking the younger men,
bers of that community.
/ II am fully convinced that this Is the
woman's island, and can easily account
for it's being called so by stray canoes from
the westward"