The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-18

| ana fsrmsnting the spittls-soaked mixture
After awhile it becomes Intoxicating and
II then used in ceremonial feasts. Both
sexes chew the betel nut. but as . rule.
they do not drink intoxicating liquors. In
British New Guinea It IL against the law
to sell Intoxicating liquors to the natives.
| and any ore who does 50 IL subject to .
| nne OF $3.50 or more.
In the Dlsmarck Archipelago.
The islands Of the Bismarck Archipelago
lave some stranger tribes than those of
! New Guinea itself. On one island. accord
ing to my best authorities. the girls ars
kept in cages from the age Of 6 or syears
until they are married. The cages, made
Of wicker work. are set up inside large
houses made for the purpose. The girls are
only taken out once q day to be washed.
but otherwise they are not permitted to
get outside the wicker. Their food IL hand
ed through the bars, and they move about
at times like Gagged lions. These cages are
under the charge of the old women Of the
tribe. who see that the girls do not hirt
with the passers-by or the peepers-in- The
young men havs the right to look at tho
cages now and then. and probably. after
making proper presents to the watch
guards and the parents OF the girl. they
can WOO the maiden through the meshes OK
bamboo.
I am told that girls do not suffer In health
from their Imprisonment and that not
w~ithstanding their seclus!on they make
very good wives. and later on are by no
means adverse to having their daughters
Gagged up as they were. The girls mature
very rapidly in this hot Innate. The mar
riageable age Ii Il or L. and at l6 q girl Is an
old maid.
In Mem MecklenburE.
The Island Of Neu Pommern Is $50 miles
long. and Neu Mecklenburg perhaps 100
miles shorter. with a width on the average
OF about fifteen miles. Both Islands IRE
more or less rolling. Neu Mecklenburg
having the schleintz Mountains. which
reach a height Of 1000 feet.
In Neu Mecklenburg the people of each
village are divided into two classes and
marriage between the classes Is strictly
prohibited. If a woman marries outside OF
her class the punishment 10 death. and. II
a man he suffers a heavy fine. The wo-
men and men 60 naked. Cannibalism Is
common. and both human beings and pork
are cooked for food. all other kinds of eat
ables. so It Is said. being eaten In q raw
state. The people live In small huts. which
"a VI - SAA eAaPcs oho
by bamboo fences. The young unmarried
men have clubhouses where the live
together. and the girls. a. I have said. are
confined to the cages
The Solomon Islands Colony.
A little to the east of the Bismarck Arch
ipelago are the Solomon Islands. which until
1850 belonged almost entirely to Germany.
The uppermost part Of the chain. including
some Of the larger islands. are still Ger
man. and they are now under the officials
of Kaiser Wilhelm's Land. The principal
island In the group Is Bougainville. which
Is bigger h Porto Rico. 1t is q mountain
Gus country. having two volcanoes. which
are constantly active. and one mountain of
an altitude of more than two miles above
the sea. The natives are Of the same race
as those Of New Guinea. and they are quite
a savage In most cases the men 60 naked.