Imperial Valley press., 1913-10-15
Cannibals Dislike
White Mans Flesh

Chicago Inter Ocean: That can
nibals seldom eat white captives, and
then without particular zest, is the
gist of a scientific report on the sub
iect made by DR.. Holman, of Berlin,
formerly consul in Africa and an
authority on the subject of tribal Gus
TOMS
Writing of the recent murder OF the
German American mineralogist, John
Henry Warner, by natives of New
Guinea. DR.. Holman asserts that the
abstention of cannibals in Africa and
of Guinea from the flesh of white
men is not because they fear the spir-
it of the white victim or his powers of
magic. but because they consider that
it has an unpleasant taste due to the
use of sharp spices and condiments
and of salted dishes in the diet ot
the European.
DR. Hoffman cites an article printed
several years ago in journal of
/ Liberia, in which it was said that the
cannibals in the Liberian territory eat
white man only when he has fallen
into their hands alive. Then the viz
tim is immersed to the neck in a run.
ming brook and held there by bonds
for two or three days. on much the
same principle that an oyster Is
''floated" in fresh water after being
taken from the beds. DR.. Hoffman,
/ has confirmation of this from form
er cannibal.
The reported killing and eating OF
Warner in Papua by the natives has
called attention to the fact that can
nibalism is by no means stamped out
in New Guinea. Warner believed
that radium could be found in Papua
and fell victim to his own zeal. II
is reported that his two native COM
panions escaped his horrible fate. the
news of which they brought to the
coast.
At one time official circles believed
that cannibalism was thing of the
past in British New Guinea. but clear
evidence that il has persisted into the
present decade has been provided oy
unimpeachable witnesses. In a book
published last year J. H. P. MURRAY,
Lieutenant Governor and chief iu-
dicial officer of Papua, has much %
say about the practice of cannibalism
among the natives of the island H
writes about boiling springs which
not many years ago were made use
Of for cooking any prisoners capt
ured in the village warfare
/ Describing the northeastern divi-
sion Of the island, Murray quotes 4
native witness. who, telling Of the
eating Of human bodies, said: we
boil them; we cut them up and boil
them in 4 pot. We eat them because
they are like fish. We have fish in tha
creeks and kangaroos in the grass
hut men are our real food"
Murray tells OF the remark of a
Ferguson Islander to stranger who
wanted to buy betel nuts from him:
Why should l sell you betel nuts;
] am going to eat you" Which he
promptly did. He also writes of q
crew Of Shipwrecked Chinese, who
were eaten one by one, until the cap
tors, surfcited with the diet, peddlcd
those who were left around the coast
selling them to the highest bidders.
Wives, who ventured to look
around during the funerals of their
husbands, were killed and eaten. One
native who was concerned in the kill
ing OF neighboring chief and his two
wives told Of the subsequent eating
Of the victims with the utmost un
concern.
He told Of eating the head Of one
wife, but refused TO touch the other.
as he had killed her, and it was not
the custom Of his tribe to eat ones
own victim. The two women were
singed first, then cut up into small
pices, mixed with sage, cooked,
wrapped up in leaves and distributed
to the victors. including their women
and children.
D11 WY