El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-18

{ cannibalism exists in some localities,
and that II is common in the Bis
marck archipelago. He spoke Of the
natives as natural beer drinkers and
as using a beer made by chewing the
root of the kava plant and fermenting
the spittie soaked mixture Laid away,
IL soon becomes intoxicating and is
then used in ceremonial feasts. In
British New Guinea, over the way. il
is against the law to sell intoxicating
liquors.
Cage Yong Girls.
have before me a report OF one Of
our consuls describing the queer Gus
toms OF the Bismarck archipelago
This man says the inhabitants are
principally Papuans. The men are
frequently over six feet in height.
thew are OF a dark brown complexion.
have thick. black curly hair. large
hat noses and symmetrical bodies. In
the Island OF New Britain, which the
Germans know as Neu Pommern. the
natives have a custom Of combining
the girls in cages from the ages Of
or years until they are married The
cages are made Of the sprouts OF the
naln tree They are sometimes built
inside the houses The girls are never
allowed to leave the cages except
once day when they are taken out
to be washed The girls are said to
thrive under these conditions. They
Erow as fat as the penned-up geese
used for making pate de fois gras.
they mature early and are ready for
marriage OF II or Il years Of age. A
girl who is not married at Is or IS
Is an old maid.
Island CannibaIs.
The island OF Neu Pommern Is the
principal one Of the Bismarck a-chi-
nelaEn- It is $50 miles lonE and about
10 miles wide II is more or less
rolling. The natives are among the
widest OF the South seas. Both women
and men 20 naked and cannibalfsm IS
said to be common Most OF their eat
ables are consumed in the raw state.
although DOrk and human meat are
cooked The people live in small huts
OF q beehive shape. surrounded BIZ
bamboo fences, and the young IN
men have clubhouses. where
they live together The girls are con-
fined in the cages.
Millions in Exploits.
Both New Guinea and the Bismarck
archipelago have been exploited by
the Germans. They have been in !
creasing their cocoanut plantations Z
and the export Of cocoa and dried CO
11anut meat has now reached a value /
ot 100000 or 100000 q year. In
1919 phosphates to the amount Of
more than 100000 were exported, !
&
valued at more than 500 600 were
sent TO Germany. The imports then
amounted to more than $4,000. 600 or /
100000, all from Germany, and the 1
-rade was Increasing
Anzaes Take Island.
As soon as the war broke out, thel
Australian navy sent its vessels /
lorthwEard to capture New Guinea.
Lney landed men IN Men Pommern
nd put the wireless station there out
y commission They took the town
= Herbertshohe. Notwithstanding the
Germans had network OF mines
1ong the shores and had built
renches from which they fought the
australians. The Germans had also
lative soldiers hidden in the Jungle.
nd these fired on the invading partv.
WITHIN less than week, however.
he various settlements were cap
ured. and the Australians took ms
'ession OF New Guinea and the other
Stands about Il looks now as though
hey had come to stay. They have
leguu 10 re0rEaniZe the administra-
ion. and are building roads through
'ut the territory. They have taken
lver the little feet that belonged to
,ermany and have their officials
moving about from island to island.
Keeping order.
Trade Increasing.
! understand Lnat trade Is already
Increasing and that the government /
eTenues are rising. At the time that
ne Australians came in. the German
authorities made a wholesale distrfbu-
ion OF the public moneys. They de-
troyed much OF the property and at
empted to wreck the colony. Not I,
the change in owner
hip. the German settlers have con-
luded TO stay. They are buying and /
elling and increasing their holdings.
An Island Queen.
The development Of the Bismarck
rchipelagO and German New Guinea
vas largely due to an American girl.
his was Emma z. Coe. the daughter {
Z Jonas Il Coe, a former American
onsul TO The Samoan Islands. Coei !
married. Samoan princess and Emma !
vas the result OF the marriage. She
7as born in Samoa and married an
snglishman named Forsythe. After
.er husband died she resided for a {
inc in San Francisco. and then went
ack to Samoa, where she helped her, {
ather by acting as his interpreter
IN