New-York tribune., 1904-09-18
STILL A CANNIBAL ISLAND.
Taste for Human Flesh Unforgotten
en- Nesc-Guined.

Cannibalism is a habit that evidently is hard
TO live down For example. in the East Indian
island OF New-Guines, or Papua, as It's 100000
Inhabitants call It. the natives again and again
have shown how difficult Il IS TO forget the
taste OF human fesh Only the other day the
ancient ogre instinct OF their forefathers, which
had lain dormant for years. and which the
good missionaries even thought was wholly
dead, suddenly burst forth IN one tribe and re-
suited in q massacre. band Of Papuans.
cray for sweet fesh' as II IS expressed IN
the native language, swooped down upon the
Catholic mission in German New-Guinea and
killed FIVE and many women Whether
or not they were able 10 devour their victims "a
not told in the dispatches. Thirty-six Of the
natives were arrested on suspicion" however.
and eighteen executed.
For some reason or other the Papuan cannfoal
prizes Christian for a feast more than an or
binary pagan. In becoming q convert to the
new faith, therefore. a native must have an un-
usually high degree Of courage. He knows that
IS he has been baptized he will be an
especially tempting morsel. likely at any time
10 be butchered to make = holiday. In 1881
twelve missionaries, who for years had been
laboring with the Rev. DR. James Chalmers at
Kalo. suddenly disappeared. On investigation
DR.. Chalmers discovered that his co-workers
ara lnelr lanllleS nd0 Deen 5lauSnteESu anu
that their children had been eaten. All these
victims were converted Papuans. Several years
later a band of natives murdered DR.. Chalmers.
boiled him in sage and etc him.
The cannibal instinct OF the Papuan Is not
hard to explain In all the $4,000 square
miles of New-Guinea there is not tribe which
does not regard murder a knightly accom-
plishment. Until a has taken a human
life and has slipped human blood he is an OBJ
Ject Of ridIcule. He is not permitted TO tattoo
himself and with skin thus unadorned he Is
stunned by Papuan society.
Immediately after killing some one. however,
the murderer must undergo six days OF "purt-
fcation' which are marked by various
canny rites He first washes himself and his
weapon and seats himself upon a stage. in the
sight OF the whole town. but nevertheless un-
noticed by all During this time he must eat
nothing except 'roasted bananas. the pulp OF
which he bites out and the rest he throws
away. On the third day he has so far purified
himself that MS friends entertain him at
feast. and on the fourth day he decks himself
with all the ornaments Of his home ana pa
rades up and down the village. After being
thoroughly admired, he walks down TO river
and, standing with feet wide apart, he let's all
the boys who want to become great men swim
through his legs. On the next day at dawn he
jumps frOm bed ana yeAS OUT OF the WINDOW at
the top Of his lungs. His shout is supposed 10
scare away the ghost OF his victim. on the
following day he returns TO his wife. who has
spurned him UP TO this time. and is once more
installed as the respected lord OF his household.
The spirit Of the vendetta reigns among tho
Papuans TO extent which would even aston
ish Italian detective Of the New-York Police
Department. As every murder elevates a man
so much higher IN the estimation of his neigh
bors, Papuan is generally on the lookout for
quarrel. If he cannot get bite on fishing
excursion he doesn't lie about 1t on returning
home. but goes out looking for blood He starts
fer the neighboring village and the first man he
meets who is a member Of another tribe he
pounces upon the cause Of his Ill luck. Either
by stealth in the open ne strikes his man
down. AS the relatives Of the victim swear
revenge and only wait opportunity to balance
the score. the killing goes on until the chief OF
one tribe or the other becomes frightened by the
losses from his ranks and calls a council with
the head OF the neighboring community. The
deaths on each side are then reckoned UP. and
Il one side has lost more lives than the other Il