The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-26
CELEBES FOREST men
A VARIETY OF VERY PRIMITIVE MAN
RECENTLY DISCOVERED.
A Sort Of Monkey-Human Species
Who Seem Unable to Comprehend
Ways of Civilization.
of the Indianapolis journal.


THE HAGUE, April 10.-The brothers
Sarasin, Swiss scientists and explorers,
who were thought murdered by the saw
ages in the interior of Celebes. have re-
turned to the coast, thanks to Queen Will
of a hundred Sultans for every white man
lost on the Sarasin expedition, had the de-
sired effect upon the aboriginal princelings.
AS is fit, the brothers, on returning to CIV
ilization, sent message of thanks for their
delivery to Queen wilhelmina, at the same
time giving an outline of their discoveries.
The letter is dated Fort Rotterdam, Mac
casar. Celebes. end of February. 1sO3." and
the portions dealing with the forest-men,
descended from apes, are quoted:
Your Majesty's government Of Lamont
jong, never before trod by the white mans
foot, Is the home Of the most ancient abo-
riginal human jewellers upon the face of the
globe. They claim no name or nationality,
but their nearest neighbors, who advanced
a step further on the ladder Of civilizat ton,
call them Toalas, bushmen or forest men.
Had we been allowed to pursue our stud
les and Investigations to the end, we might
now be able to materially assist history
and philosophy in tracing the gradual ad-
vance Of the monkey species from tree
dweller to an inhabitant Of the soil, and
from animal of prey to that Of a creature
gaining his means of livelihood by more or
less systematic effort; as it is, we hope to
return to the field of our labors in the near
future and there complete our investiga-
tons under your gracious Majesty's pro-
lection.
1.-THE forest men still live in the forest, as
the species from which they sprung did, ten
thousand more years ago, but the small
game and the wild fruit on which they
out, they now utilize the natural clearings
of the forest to cultivate, in a rude and
primitive style, rice and corn.
Instinct of the creature of nature seems
to have taught them the proper planting
season, but harvest is usually anticipated
long beforehand, the products not being al
lowed to ripen. AS a consequence the for
est men, and particularly the women and
children seldom reach the age above thirty
Their only agricultural implements are
branches of trees. or pieces of wood.
EXCEEDINGLY PRIMITIVE.
''They know neither iron nor fire. When I
lit cigar and was about to throw away
the lighted match, one of the forest men
took it from my hand and put it into his
mouth. setting up a great howl at the same
time. When we Lit campfire we had great
difficulty in preventing the people from
walking into it or sitting down in It,
''Our tents, likewise, called for childish
amazement among the Toalas. They exam
ined the poles for green leaves and put their
teeth in the canvas, thinking Ii some new
natural product which they would like to
taste. They live in dugouts, and, strange to
say, usually select places at the foot of a
hill, where, not infrequently. they are driv-
en- away by floods of rainwater.
'.Since leaving the trees, they seem to
have acquired an aversion against attitudes
and, used to the ways Of nature, as they
must necessarily be, they are yet unable to
observe its phenomena for their own good.
The dugouts are used for sleeping purposes
only and their furnishings mainly consist
of number of hunks, one built over the 9TH
er. Their similarity to a natural bed in the
treetops is very apparent. Unhewn branches
of trees are anchored into the side walls.
Four other pieces of wood, placed horizon
tally, complete the couch, upholstered with
leaves and moss.
lnese primitive people are exceedingly
shy. When we discovered a settlement we
made il a point to lasso several and for a
few days pamper them like fighting cocks
Thus. and by presents of knives we some
times succeeded In persuading one or anoth-
er of the captives to bring back the rest of
the tribe. that. in the meanwhile. kept in the
forest interior. Once or twice we had these
messengers of peace followed. and learned
that they discovered their friends miles and
miles away in treetops. So these creatures
returned to their original habits. in the hour
of danger.
"The forest men know no numbers except
1 and g himself and wife. Hundreds OF times
tried TO get the most intelligent we fell In
with to tell the number OF their children 1
pointed to my fingers. and employed every
other means to appeal to their understand
ing. but the sense OF figures has evidently
not yet developed in these people.
Neither know They anything about the
calendar. week. month. year or other peri