The uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world; vol. 2 of 2: Being a comprehensive account of their manners and customs, and of their physical, social, mental, moral and religious characteristicsWood, J. G. (John George)
History
The uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world; vol. 2 of 2: Being a comprehensive account of their manners and customs, and of their physical, social, mental, moral and religious characteristics
Wood, J. G. (John George)
Anthropology; Ethnology; Manners and customs
The inhabitants of Tanna are as black as those of Vaté, but seem to
have no other points of resemblance. The men appear to think that
they are not black enough by nature, for they have a way of daubing
their sable countenances with black lead, and painting upon the black
groundwork sundry patterns in red ochre. The hair is frizzed out after
the ordinary Papuan type which is dyed a reddish dun color by means of
lime.
[Illustration: (1.) MAN AND WOMAN OF NEW HEBRIDES. (See page 972.)]
[Illustration: (2.) WOMAN AND CHILD OF VANIKORO. (See page 975.)]
[Illustration: (3.) DAUGHTER OF TONGAN CHIEF. (See page 977.)]
* * * * *
We come now to Errumanga. It has kept up its traditional ferocity.
Not content with killing the first missionary who set his foot on
their shores, the people many years afterward murdered another
missionary and his wife. This second murder was owing to the priests,
who persuaded the people that an epidemic which had done much damage
among the natives was caused by the missionaries from a strange land.
The ignorant people readily believed this statement, and, wild with
the uncontrolled fury of the savage, they murdered both the accused
persons. The deed was scarcely done before the people repented of it,
and only the day after the murder, when the bodies were buried, the
natives stood round the grave overwhelmed with grief, the most sincere
mourner being the chief of the district.
The murder of these people, unfortunate as it may seem, really paved
the way for others to follow in their footsteps; and, as is generally
the case with persecution, the cause only gained additional strength by
the attempts made to repress it by main force.
At one time the inhabitants were held in such dread that the natives
were not allowed to come on board the ships, nor were the men permitted
to land. A small trade was carried on in sandal-wood, which the
natives carried to the boats by swimming through the surf, and being
necessarily unarmed, could be allowed to make their bargains without
suspicion of treachery. Although, therefore, the savage nature of the
inhabitants has occasionally broken out and showed itself in bloodshed,
the very fact that Europeans have been allowed to reside for any time
on the island shows a great improvement in the character of the natives.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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