CAGED GIRLS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1378, 23 October 1886, Page 3

CAGED GIRLS

United Slat* b Consul Gr ffin, of Sydney, has made some exhaustive studies of the Inhabitants of flew Britain, and gives the State Department the benefit of h-j researches. Among other things he says that the inhabitants have the custom of confining their girls in cages nnt>l they are old enough to marry. This custom, he says, is pecnlar to that island, and without a parallel among the other inha* bltants of the South Seas. These girls’ cages are made of twigs of the palm tree, and the girls are put in them when they are only two or three years of age. These cages are built inside the bouses, and the girls are never allowed to leave the house under any circumstances, and are only taken out of the cages o- ce a day to be washed. The bouses themselves are closely fere id in with a sort of wicker work made of reeds Ventilator, under the circumstances* Is rendered difficult The girls are said to grow up strong and healthful in spite of these disadvantages. These natives arb very fond of jewellery made of shell or hone. Both men and women are entirely node, except a small strip of bark or leaves around the loins, Tbty have their black early hair, large flat noses, and symmetrical holies. They display a great fondness for feathers of gaudy colors, with which they decorate their heads. Sometimes they wear a helmet or head-dress abont eighteen inches in height, made of b<*rk and seaweed, and ornamented with shells, cats’ eyes, &c.