The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-30

ment. They look upon the women as their
slaves. and when angry club them and cut
them with their tomahawks and spears.
II the woman Is killed II makes little dif-
ference. for she II looked upon as the prop
erty Of III mar who supports her. and a
man may do what he likes with his own.
A Chance fer the New woman.
There ID no place In tho world where the
new woman could work to better advan-
tage than among these aborigines. I doubt
whether there are people IN the wiids Of
Africa who treat the women 30 badly. The
wife II the plaything and slave Of her hus-
and. has no rights that any mar is
bound to respect. and II caught away from
home any man will maltreat her. As a
daughter shs b sold or given away by her
father OF brothers. and after marriage she
Il . drudge and slave. Tho husband can
lend or give his wife away. He can forbid
her speaking to any other man. and in
some tribes she 10 not allowed to exchange
q word with her grown-up brothers. She
II often . bride at the age of 10. and there
are few native giris who are not married
before they reach 1A There are. I am told.
many bachelors. but no old maids. for even
an ugly girl can work. and . man has the
right to a many wives A. he can get. He
leaves all his work to his wives, and the
more wives he has the richer he is.
When q man dies his widows go to bis
Oldest brother. who can keep them or dis
pose Of them. % he pleascs. The elder
brother has the right to give away or trade
Oh hin sisters. and the same right belongs
to the father. who often trades the fe-
males Of the family for wives for his sons.
Canst Complain fer want Of Work.
tn native woman Of Australia can
complain that an the professions Of her
tribe arc not 6 to her. She does all the
WORK. from building the house to getting
the food and nursing tho baby. Most Of
the tribes arc nomadic They build little
shelters Of bark or skins wherever they
camp starting . new village At each stop
ping place. In travelling tho women carry
all the belongings Of the family. They are
laden Town like pack-horses and walk along
bent over behind their husbands, who, per-
haps. carry nothing but their boomerangs
and clubs. A. soon as they como to q new
camp the woman cuts the bark and builds
the hut. she then goes put and digs roots.
picks fruit and climbs tho trees to chop
out the larvae Worms. which she cooks
for breakfast. She often carries her hild
with her while At this work. laying II on
the ground a. she digs. h cuts tho wood
and carries the water. and when she falls
behind she b usually sure Of . whipping.
A. Q result Of such treatment she ages rap
IDLY. her hair growS gray and her face
wrinkles. and a. . rule she dies at about
- Even the men seldom live to BE- more
han O.
what the Natives Eat.
The lives Of the aborigines are shortened
- exposure and diet. In point Of inteili-
gence they are said to b - low As any
people Of the world. and they live and act
more lfke animals than human beings. Their
food b largely vegetable. Including all sorts
Of foots. They thrash seeds out Of differ
snt kinds Of grassss and collect weeds
which they eat ~ W do water cress and
IsttucA One Of their favorfte dishes ID
VIA honey. which they ind In In hollow
trees. They collect Wild fruits and their
bread = made Of grass seeds moistened and
nour b then made into dough and eaten
either cooked or NV.
Among the curious viands Of which they
are fond are ants. worms q snakes. There
are ants al over Australia, and certain va
risties Of them are caught BY tho aborig-
ines. The native stand upon IN ant hill
. stamps with his feet. whereupon the
ants run up his legA After his shanks arr
ven coated be scrapss them on and eats
them. Tbe larger kinds Of ants arc roasted
O. dried In the sun.
Another delicacy b the beetle. which q
consumed both fn the worm or larva and
in The matured insect. The worms are
picked out Of the rotton trees and cooked
IN Tedhoe ashes. Foreigne1 who have eat
en them say they are not at all bad. and
that they look and taste much like an ONE
let.
Snakes e IN kinds are caught and roast
l "a, ana also lizards. especially the iguana.
The tguana h m enormous lizard. II Is
! eaten throughout South America and has
- 0ush NJ int ef . young chicksn. III