The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-07-21
QUEER NEW GUINEA TRIBES
Some Singular Specimens Of Mankind
Are Found in the Great
Island.

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 marsh
land dwellers. owing to the peculiar
character OF the country they inhabit
pedestrian looomotion Is almost i'm
practicable. AS is usual In tropical coun-
tries. there is a very tangled under
growth. 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 practically lost the use OF
their lower limbs. Their dwellings are
built in the trees above the water level.
Their bodies have developed In such q
peculiar way that they have most enor-
nous trunks. but the thighs, legs and
feet are 30 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 eaYe-ewellers.
but there Is rarely more than one family
in the cave The 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 delight
ful habit Of pulling hairs out OF one
another's heads. but this gives them
scarcely any pain at all. They tear out
the hairs exactly as we should tear them
out Of the tail OF horse. These inferior
races feel pain to a far less extent than
In the case OF q civilized man. Dr. Carl
LumholtE once pulled six hairs at time
from the head Of a sleeping child and IL
had no effect upon Il at all. Then be
asked for more, but without effect. At
last. when % hairs were pulled out At
one stroke. the child scratched It's head
= little and slept on.
The poor among some Of the Chinese
have a peculiar custom Of giving their
children in pledge 10 their creditors.
First OF ell. the parents go before
Judge and make statement Of the case.
after which the scrivener draws up
deed Of sale Then the deed Is signed
by the scriyener following which the
father OF the boy smears the palm OF
his right hand IN coarse Ink and places
Il upon the deed This ink is much the
same as the printers ink that Is used by
Us After the whole Of the hand has
been imprinted upon the deed the father
goes through the same treatmeut with
tte sole oi BIS rlght feut Then the
mother goes tarough the ceremony al
t3 end Of which the parents receive
taeir money and deliver over the child.
The natives ol northwest Mexico have
curious method OF doing their court
ine or At least the lady has All the
eourilng Is done By the lady when the
young people meet az feasts the damsei
puts her eyes upon a certain member
Of the opposite sex. and then attracts his
attention hy dancing before him While
she does this she perlstently keeps her
back toward him This Is the sign that
she wishes him TO become her husband
amer a time. when the ceurtiue has
proceeded little further she siis down
near him and begins pulling hls blanket
Amy from him. Then she slnes 10 him
IN gentle soft voice. AZ last the matter
Is entirely settled by the lady pitching
stones az the swain. for Il be throws
these back II her Il Is a slgn that they
ere httfothed
other very remarkable tribes have
iult been discovered hy the chief med.
lrel ofIlcer OF papua He made two In
tHg,lng discoveries while exploring
the western portion of the territory. The
principal tribe which he discovered dur
inf his pereerinations consists Of dwarfs.
vho have enormous webbed feet These
dwaris build their dwellings In the
center Of swamps. which they are able
to cross with great rapidlty. The other
tribe consists Of dwarfs. but their feet
are not webbed. They afe. however.
particularly Wild nnd repaIaiye eannt-