Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-05-21


steaI-lf You Want to Keep Your
Head on Your Shoulders Be Careful
How You Look at a Woman.
Contrary TO the popular impression,
the head hunting Dyack OF Borneo is
not such bad fellow, nor is the prac-
tice he INDUCES In as reprehensible as
II might seem.
The head hunter was presented In
new light by Or. Carl Lumholtz,
Norwegian explorer. lecturer and
writer. who has returned recently
from BOrneo and is In this country
while financing an expedition to New
Guinea.
when you get at the motives I'M
DERIVING head hunting" said Doctor
Lumholtz 10 Chicago Post reporter,
you are not so shocked I'm not
actually defending the custom. but
there's more OF It than appears on the
surface.
Make Slaves OF Souls.
ut is part of the religion OF Dyacks
10 hunt heads. The Dyack believes
implicitly in a life after death. Dying,
he thinks. is like laying OFF yOur
clothes. But life beyond the grave, in
his philosophy. is no continuous vaca-
ton. There is work To be done and
IL you are to accomplish your share
you viii need slaves
consequently, the moment you lop
OF the head OF a member Of some
neighboring tribe his soul becomes
yours, 70 be your slave throughout
eternity.
Thus. when chief dies. the entire
village goes of on head-hunting ex-
petition. and the souls are willed over
10 the great man as his slaves
Heads also protect u village against
misfortune and give the natives a
sense Of assurance. There's one chiefs
house know Of that's very we'll pro
tected. II is decorated with nj least
800 skulls.
The British and Dutch governments
have been dlscouraging the practice by
OF hard labor but the custom persists
for many reasons. For one thing. the
head hunter Is simply lIonlzed by the
women and is looked up 10 In the vii.
age as q great hero"
Doctor Lumholtz admitted that on
more than one occasion his own head
was in jeopardy.
"But there's one safe rule to be-
observed" he added Don't lose your
head over the women and you won't
lose II. The Dyacks are unusually
Jealous OF their women So be careful
how you make love TO the girls. II
YOU look AZ them tOo fondly their
sweetheartS are liable 10 exact a rath-
er unpleasant revenge"
Doctor Lumholtz, who Is member
~ the Society OF Sciences Of Chris
tlanla. the gold me'lallst of the Nor
weginn Geographical society. and a
member of the Societe de L'Anthro-
polOgie of Paris. began his explora-
tions about twenty years ago among
the ahorl.nes OF Queensland.
II was while he was in Australia
that he discovered the tree kangaroo,
an animal OF whose existence even p.
T. Bnrnum never knew.
Likes Primitive People.
He camped alone for months In the
Jungle with the sayageS, and grew 10
ike them. In fact. he says Il Is his
f,,- V,riFp La
that IL his greatest protection while
among them.
Among other things he expects 20
find In New Guinea is mysterious
hoofed animal about the size OF a
horse II has been seen from great
distances rs the natives. but never by
white man. He expects also to study
the spiny anteaterS. the kind that lay
eggs collect birds Of paradise and
shoot butterflies with dust
"And II I'm fortunate" he added, II
viii discover some new minerals, and
probably new deposits Of gold"
Referring again 10 Borneo, he com
mended the Dyacks on their many vir-
tues.
"A Dyack. he said, is never known
to tell a lie or to steal"
The country. however, according Ia
Doctor I.umholtz, has its drawbacks
Among these j. the wood lcech, which
Sits on your tent waiting for chance
10 jump N you.
He is creature about three inches
long" he said. hut can draw himself
out So hin that he can 20 through
linen mesh. He hns nasty habit OF
splitting al the same time he IS suck
Ing your blood"