Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1911-07-20
PApOAN SAVAcES
The Most Treacherous Of All the
South Sea Natives.
A TRIBE OF HEAD HUNTERS.

The Solomon islanders Kill and Ear
Their Enemies as an incident Of
TEsir W.ird Religious Rites-storn,
ING tlou7e In Treetop.
he name i':liuan is that given to
the dark skinned people who inhnl,.t
the greater number of islands IN The
part Of the Pacific ncenl, knuwn as
Polynesia and MeIamcSl;l aud whose
headquarters. as 1t were. are In the
great island OF i'apun or New Guinea.
Under this description come the in
TIA bitants of The Solomon islands.
So evil has been the reputation OF
the Solomon Islanders that until quite
recently they were carefully avoided.
and very little was known about them.
They have the name Of being the
most treacherous of all the south sea
natives. yet. considering the treatment
they have received in the past at the
hands of white men. this Is not to be
wondered ut. Indeed. the wonder is
that they allow any white man ut all
In their country. But now that they
have had chance Of seeing some
more favorable specimens than the
dress of humanity who formerly drift
ed to the south seas they are much
improved. and IL man who treats them
fairly may. as II rule. go among them
without fear
Still. even now there Is beautiful
uncertainty about the life Of south
sea trader. One day he may he sur
rounded by cringing nntives who obey
his every word But some night. u
he has cheated the Papuan too grass
ly. there is murder in the mm,nIi-nl
and the trader Is never heard "i ,"r.
Often. however. there seems I" in' u
reason for the natives turning n-;ii.>;
the whites. 1t is simply that they "ls
ject to having trudcr in their midst
So they burn his goods and end II,
killing him
The Solomon islanders are as keen
head hunters as the Borneans a!,d
every year. except where they il:s'
held in check by the British govern
ment. sci ont ON head hunting laid>
rnrr and simple Although cannl'ai
ism IL still rrnrticrd in the wilder
parts of the group. il Is nowadays
mostly 81 religious ceremony and moi
!, matter of diet The Islanders do not
generally kil and ea' people fur en
ioNinent. hut either because their re-
ligion demands ~ human sacrifice or
because IL head Is needed for some
ceremony.
In Ysnbel. one of the largest Islands
III the Solomon group. tho natives build
houses in the highest trees To escape
from the attacks of head bunting par
ties. who sometimes come ns far as :2e'N
miles in their search for skulls. One
Of these houses was built In a tree l..iJ
feet high. All the lower branches ll.,d
been cut Off. SO that lhe stem was
quite bare until the platform. some
eighty feet from the ground. was
reachcA Access was had to the house
by rickety ladder composed of rnngs
! dashed to stout pole with rope Of
twisted cane. When an attack Is ex
pected the women and children take
refuge In these houses. while the men
keep watch. They warn each other Of
the approach Of Il fleet by curious
cry which once heard Is never to lie
TALLY built. as often the inhabitants
have to withstand long siege in
them. The floor Is made of plated
bamboo laid on II layer of bark which
rests upon the platform. The walls
are of bamboo. and the roof Is thalch
ed with sage palm. The particular
house to which have referred meas
ured 80 by Is feet and forty persons
had been known to take refuge In I,
II the attacking party land and the
men cannot resist them successfully
they. too. ascend to the tree house.
pile Of large stones is always kept
ready for emergencies outside the door
Of the platform. and these the men
1 hurl down ON their foes. Sometimes.
however. the enemy construct shelter
beneath which they can work away
and cut the tree down. and they have
even been known to ascend the tree
while the inhabitants were Off their
guard and set tire TO the house
Nowadays. however, head hunting is
4 tANoit>SA III Why vi
Often. indeed. when head is required
the chief gives notice of the fact to
the different tribes and offers reward
for one. The chiefs of the villages
look around. and II in any of them
there Is n native who has made him.
self Objectionable for any reason they
decide that his head shalt come off and
the reward be earned The victim is
not told Of his impending fate. but is
carefully watched by man who has
been told to secure his head. He
watches every movement Of his VIC
tim and when favorable opportunity
presents itself quickly and remorse-
lessly kills him. cuts Off his head and
carries 1t to the chief. who pays for II
In shell money. This even happens to
white men IL they have made them.
selves unpopular. Money is paid over
for the skull. which goes TO Join the
chiefs collection.-John Foster Frazer
| In New York Tribune.