New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-09-10

OF several "a
nous scientists. headed by Walter Goodfellow
the naturalist
The expedition landed at the mouth of the
MlmlKa river, on the south coast Of Dutch New
Guinea. in the early part of the year. and at once
pushed into the interior. While ascending the
snow mountains. at an elevation of about 1000
feet. the explorers came upon the tribe of pig
mics which are said to belong to that division
OF the human race known as the Negritos
The importance of this discovery to anthro.
biologists can hardly be overestimated, because
1t has always been a subject Of controversy
among the scientists to whether Negrtos ex-
listed in the Papuan islands
Inc New Guinea savages, Papuans as they
are called. are comparatively well known but
they are a very different kind of men to the pig
mics Just discovered. The typical Papuan Is
much taller than the average European often at
tanning q height Of seven feet and is strongly
built The color Of the skin varies from deep
chocolate to nearly black. The nose is large
and prominent. and a nose bar of shell, bone or
wood is usually thrust through 1t. Both men and
women 60 about entirely naked Their houses
are generally built on piles. and. as in Borreo.
are often communal and of very large size many
families occupying one building which may be
as much as 700 feet long Then there are re-
markable houses built in trees and known as
'dobbos." but these are used only to escape their
enemies. Cannfbalism prevails among the Pa
puans, although 1t Is by no means universal.
The Negritos. on the other hand, which here
tofore have been thought to occupy only the
Andaman islands, in the Bay of Bengal. the
northern portion Of the Malay peninsula and the
Philippine islands, are Enthusiastically short
no adult standing over four feet six inches. while
the women rarely exceed four feet. The average
height is about four feet three inches
The main features Of this peculiar human
type, apart from their diminutiveness, are the
extraordinarily dark color Of their skin. which
approaches the color of newly blackeaded
stove, the extremely broad nose, the breadth of
which is about equal to the height, and the frizzy
hair. which grows in isolated peppercorn tufts all
over the scalp. Their arms are unusually long,
like those Of the man-ape. and their mental quail
ties are sadly undeveloped. not one of them being
able to express higher numerical idea than
three
How these little people have been able to
protect themselves against the many dangerous
animals that infest the section, particularly the
gigantic gazeka. which has just been discovered,
is still mystery, although they have shown
markable ingenuity in the invention Of weapons.
One for instance. is a variety of spring gun"
which might prove effective against almost any
living enemy. It is made by setting a fattened
bamboo spear attached to a bent sapling which
IL fastened to q trigger in such way that It is
released by the passerby stumbling against an
invisible string stretched across the track The
spears are poisoned. either with the famous
"up0S' or Some Ot0er SlInldT VeSetdU6 pOisOns
and wound from one Of them means almost
instant death.
Whether such primitive defensive methods
avail them against the huge gazeka is not known.
but the chances are that they find safety in
retreat.
According to the oficial reports. the gazeka IL
Of gigantic size and fearsome aspect It Is black
and white striped. has the nose Of tapir and
"a face like the devil" Among the English In
habitants of the island. the animal Is known -
Mouckton's gazeka, in honor OF Mr.. c. A. w.
Monckton a former explorer in New Guinea. who
first reported its presence in the mountains.
Mr. Monckton during his ascent OF Mount Al
bert Edward In the west of British New Guinea.