The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-06-27

a kind Of rough pavement with the
white-hot stones
There f. no aemi-relifioua fune-
ton, aave on certain special ocea-
aiouh, when visitors are not pres
onti but directly the pie Is ready
some 20 young natives retire behind
"a screen Of luxuriant vegetation to
array themselves for the occasion.
They certainly make brave
sight Their arms. thighs and legs
are bedockod with satlanda aud
wfehthH OF flowers and climbing
plants. their muscular bodies oiled,
and their long limezbutnt golden
hair comhed out. Their only cloth
ing oona.ata Of kind Of skirt
formed of the national "anlu." with
girdle Of hibiscus bark.
A they march. with proud de
meanora In couples towards the pit,
the crowd begiua shouting words Of
encouragement
On come the flrewalkera. There
IS no flinchlnF nare-fnoted they
walk around the pit placing their
feet fairly and Hquarely ON the
stones. between which little fofked
tongues q flame are continually
leaplne The time occupied IN
walking ranges from % to 80 See
onda. quite sufficient 70 severely
aeofeh an ordinary foot
As the flreNalkera leave the pit.
large MASSES 81 green leaves are
thrown upon the hot stones. and
then The fIfeWalkera rush In. tramp
LINK down the leaves until lost Ia
the mass Of steam thereby created
More and more leaves are thrown
IA. and again aud again the pcrfor=
nance 10 repeated. After this. II
bullock has been given az the
price OF the performance iis dis
membCred parts are east into the
pit. covered with masses Of fresh
leaves. which are trampled down By
the fireWalkefg. and afterwards
covered with a great pile ~ earth.
4 few hours later the joints are re-
moved aud consumed at a native
feast
There exists an impression that
Ia the old ehnnibaliHtie days. the
bodies OF prisoners doomed 10 be
eaten were prepared ia this way for
the festive table. bat on this point
the natives remain infieaiblY silent.
The heat OF the stones has repeat
eddy been tested By Europeans
Some few months ago a couple o.
medical men from New Zealand
who were present AZ fircwnlhlng
performance. placed thermometer
capable Of registering 800 degrees
OF heat. at the end Of "A long pole
putting the Thermometer in a tin
case foF safety. Ia n few seconds
the solder began % melt. and the
/ thermometer had % be withdrawn
nj the point ~ bursting The feet
Of the firewalkers we're examined
bat there were no indications Of
preparation Of any Kind. nor was
the skin thicker than that OF the or
binary white man. But there was
no sign Of even a acoTeh 10 the
flesh.
Australian scientists profess 20
see In the fircwalklnE ceremonies
traces OF evidence In favor Of the
theory 81 the lost continent q Len
noria. Of which many 81 the Pacific
island groups are believed 10 be
part. originally forming a portion
Of Asia IA forgotten ages
II is known that Ia Tibet the
ceremony Of firevslking u perform
ed Ia exactly the same manner AS iu
Fiji. where the practice differs
largely from that with which many
savage peoples are familiar. The
Impression u strengthened by the
fact that among the Fiilana and
other PoiyneAiaus are TO be found
traces OF teachings and customs
which could only have had their
origin Ia ludia.