The Washington times., 1906-02-02
PROF. STARR ALIVE
IN PYGMIES' LAND
ChicagOan Living i'll HutS
With Savages.
FEARED HE HAD BEEN EATEN
Famous Anthropologist Will Live Life
of Tiny Africans for Two
Years of Study.
FEARED HE HAD BEEN EATEN

CHICAGO. Feb Fear among
Chicago university officials that Prof.
Frederick Starr. the noted anthropolo-
Gist. had been eaten by African eanai-
balls whom ne was attempting to study
have been caImed. Robert +. Baldwin.
a student. received a letter from the
professor which was written on the
Kasai river steamer and mailed at Leo
poldville. which is about i.2o0 miles from
the sea. Ills letter follows:
on the Kasai River, Dec. I've are
at last on the kasai river We left
New York September .. reaching Ant
werp October 3 Left there October -.
reaching Matadi November 10. Left
there November 20. reaching Leopold
November Il. Left there December s.
and hope 10 reach Dina December Is
Must wait there for a steamer. after
which eleven days brings up TO Ndombe.
Il heSe stays do not represent lost
time, as We work everywhere We stop.
So far ! have been well.
FREDERICK STARR.
Look at Man Eaters.
The tribes in Ndombe. among which
the anthropologist expects to study for
the next two years. are divided INFO
three classes, according 10 Prot
Starr. One class IS yellow race, re-
markedly intelligent and throughout
Africa constitutes the ruling people. The
second race is the pure negro. which
makes pottery Of a high grade. The
Ratwa pygmies form the third class
Prof. Starr is most Interested in them.
These people are said TO practice can
nloaIlsm, and Prof. Starr is the
hfst anthropOlOgiSt who has had the
courage 70 so among this race Prof
starr viii live among them and
VII nave as has only white companion
SidtlutI HoIZdleS. ms adopted Mexican
poN. VINO viii take pictures, having be-
come good artist
Prof Starr believes no scientist can
understand strange people without
4iNItis among them. adopting their habits
ana making his home among them II
was this method which Prof Starr fol-
lowed In studying the Mexican Indians
aItG dIter IWo years spent among the
tfloes IN old Mexico he wrote his three
volume history OF the Mexican Indian
NhiGh Is now recognized as a standard
work among the anthropologists.
Little Fellows Bite.
The Ndombe pygmies are a more saw.
age people than were the Mexican In
dams when Starr lived among them
however, and the dangers among these
cannibals is said to be much greater
than those which the professor took in
Mexico. The Mexican Indians made
Starr high chief and wOrshiped him
while he lived among them and honor,
ed him as their great white chief"
Before the professor left on this trip
he explained mis- purpose TO his class.
Il viii live there just as these natives
live ne said Il do not mean / Will
turn cannibal, but I do mean l viii 1--we
In Il hut, sleep on the ground and make
myself their trusted friend. I fear Moth
ing from them, although they are saw
age cannibals.
Two years among these people. liv-
Ing as l expect TO live. will enable me
TO write a history of them such as has
never been written before This is the
work of a scientist and the scientist in
any line who has not the courage 10
undertake his work in the way II can
be done best ought not 10 follow the
specially.
Il cOnterd there IS Just one way 70
study these people and that is TO live
among them. / will return TO the uni
versity after two years with them"