New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-28
IN THE TROPICS.

W0,rfain Peoples Of New Guinea By
Robert W. Williamson. VI. 50. Win -
illustrations and map NNo pp. "u''
Philadelphia: The J. b. Lippincott Com
pany.
~ A TfiSG hn nj" Other 'Rccouections OF
Thirteen Years Wandering by 1ap-
tain G. ~ Susand. T. r. G. :, H. =
With am Introduction 10y Colonel Iheo-
dore Roosevelt With Illustrations NNo'
pp. Nv 3-s The Macmillan company
THROUGH JUBA LAND TO THE
TORlAN SWAMP. An Adventurous
Journey of Exploration ana SpQII l'
tho Unknown African Forests ana pes-
orts az Iuba Land TO the lorian swami,
By J. y DraCop0h. +. H. .. :. " lt'
"a Illustrations and q maps. NNo' PIP
ais Philadelphia The J. b. LApmncoit
Company.
Real savages. Mr.. Williamson opines
in the introduction 20 his book are
now only to be found in New Guinea
and IT was in search Of a tribe of them
the Mafulu dwelling in the mountains
Of the island. that he organized the
expedition whose scientific results he
has already reported in an earlier book
present one. which proves 10 he an
altogether readable volume Of travel.
There are many works on the South
Sea islanders already in existence. and
what Mr.. Williamson has TO tell may
in a general way. he found in one or
another Of them. but even so he adds
10 the average readers stock Of curious
If not useful information and gives
him the ever welcome enjoyment oil
yjcarious adventure and occasional
danger i'm strange and picturesque sur
roundings. His descriptions Of the
scenery Of the islands ne visited are
wildly written.
The author talks of the "taou' OF
course. of manners and customs mat
bark back to the infancy Of humanity
Of cannibalism. which. he is convinced
continues TO he practised in secret lie
tells of the life of the white man among
these savages. Of his encounters with
them and their reception of him. ana
holds that in an emergency a snort
shrift for them is the first law Of sell
preservation.
Among the native customs observed
bv Mr.. Williamson is the strange recos-
milton by these savages Of what may
be called copyright or patent rights. NO
tribe will for instance, adopt the dance
of another without its permission ana
missionary priest who made Tor NM
self a pipe stem that could be taken
apart i'm the middle. and who told he
pupils iokingly that it was his lhVeh-
tiou. found to his surprise That none
of them initiated il, although lhey
readily saw its convenience. Inc use
nv the Young men Of feathers as tokens
Of courtship is another interesting Gus
tom A yellow cockatoo crest IN 'he
Young mans hair indicates that ne is
courting a woman who is already
mother: a white hornbill feather that
she is married. and a speckled teathe''
that she is tattooed.
II is daring venture just no" ~
write still another book on big sdiil'
hunting i'm African British East Al
RIGA especially-but Captain Sugahu
narrative proves TO have been wen
worth writing and publishing He Is
one of the great hunters OF the Da' ~
Continent. Colonel Roosevelt ranks
him IN his introduction with Selous. lie
Is also practical if not a traiheu
,stnralist. and he has impaired to his
nages all the Zest of sport. Eleph"n'
hunting he sets apart as incomparaDle
with tire pursuit OF any o'her "'7
game. in fact, he has found mat d.
Golf IS said TO interfere with the meeh-
istrv in Scotland. elephant hunting Ger
tainly interferes with surveying Wilc'
&c his profession. He is reucent apou'
his own exploits and narrow escapes
His statement that there is nothlps
an killing a rhinoceros' paradoXlcahN
nrefaces the story Of his being at
hacked and nearly killed by one OF
them. And, no less paradoXicaliy' III
fears the buffalo most because he mas
emo, vet been mauled by one But at
teinpts 10 compare the perils of the an
ferent kinds OF big game hunting II
Africa are in his eyes like asking
which is the more dangerous steeple-
chasing or automobiling.
This experienced hunter has very
lo,y oplnion of the British East AM
can native crackers. They seem tc
proceed on the assumption that al
wild animals are stone deaf. Moth
ing can induce them. as rule, TO keer
their mouths shout. and many Of them
walk clumsuy and noisily." He does
not ike the Somalis, who have beer
pralsed so highly by many other
sportsmen in America. lie considers
them grasping and selfish, arrogant
and corceited. often they make good
servants. but II do not think that they
ever have any attachment for theii
masters. though they are quite clever
enough 10 simulate such a feeling II
they think that il will inspire conl-
dence and lead TO extra wages. In
spite OF the Somali's obviously superior
intelligence and ability. | would much
rather have the cheerful, harum-
scarum Bantu." The chapter on native
...,.,.o,te IS, general IL written with hu-