The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-22
STRANGE SAVAGE TRIBES.
Little Known Group of Mexican In
dams Almost InsensibIe to Pain.

Little is generally known about the
Papuans. the natives of New Guinea.
Although in the possession of Great
Britain for centuries, the island has
never been thoroughly explored. In one
portion of the island is a tribe OF
marshland dwellers. Owing to the
peculiar character of the country they
inhabit pedestrian locomotion is al
most impracticable. AS is usual in
tropical countries, there is a very
tangled underground. while the land
is too swampy to be walked upon.
Even in the wide stretches of shallow
water canoeing is almost impossible,
owing to the rank vegetable growth.
The result of these conditions is that
this most peculiar tribe have practi-
cally lost the use of their lower limbs.
Their dwellings are built in the trees
above the water level. Their bodies
have developed in such a peculiar way
that they have most enormous trunks,
but the thighs, legs and feet are so
small as to be useless almost. In fact,
in figure and carriage they are quite
apelike.
There are very curious races of men
in the more inaccessible portions of
Mexico. Most of the people are cave
jewellers, but there is rarely more
than one family in the cave. The most
curious thing about them, according
to DR.. Carl Lumholtz, is that they do
not feel pain in the same degree as
we do. They have a delightful habit
of pulling hairs out of one another's
heads, but this scarcely gives them
any pain at all. They tear out the
hairs exactly as we should tear out
the tail of a horse. These inferior
races feel pain to far less extent
than in the case of a civilized man.
DR.. Carl Lumholtz once pulled six
hairs at a time from the head of a
sleeping child, and it had no effect
upon it at all. Then he asked for
more, but without effect. AT last,
when twenty-three hairs were pulled
out at one stroke, the child scratched
its head little and slept on.
The poor among some OF the Chinese
children in pledge to their creditors. First
of all, the parents go before judge and
make a statement of the case. after which
Then the deed is signed by the scrivener,
following which the father of the boy
smears the palm of his right hand in
coarse ink and places it upon the deed.
ers' ink that is used by us After the
whole of the hand has been imprinted up
on the deed the father goes through the
same eatment with the sole of his right
foot. Then the mother goes through the
ceremony, at the end of which the par
ents receive their money and deliver over
the child.
The natives of northwest Mexico have
curious method of doing their counting
or az least the woman mas. All the court
ING is done by the woman When the
young people meet at feasts the damsel
puts her eyes upon certain member of
the opposite sex. and then attracts his at
tention by dancing before him. While she
does this she persistently keeps her back
toward him This is the sign that she
wishes him to become her husband. At
ter time, when the counting has pro-
ceeded little further she sits down near
him and begins pulling his blanket away
from him. Then she sings to him in a
gentle, soft voice. AT last the matter is
entirely settled by the girl pitching stones
at the swain, for if he throws these back
at her it is a sign that they are betrothed.
Other very remarkable tribes have Just
been discovered by the chief medical Of
hcer of Papua. He made two interesting
discoveries while exploring the western
tribe which he discovered during his pere-
CARNATIONS consists of dwarfs, VINO nave
enormous webbed feet. These dwarfs
build their dwellings in the center of
swamps. which they are able to cross
with great rapidity. The other tribe con-
sists of dwarfs. but their feet are not
webbed- They are, however, particular
ly wild and repulsive cannibals.-Chicago
IrhrAnicle