STONE AGE MEN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 39, 30 January 1946, Page 6

STONE AGE MEN

HOSTILE NATIVES DO NOT BUILD HOMES One part of Australia, which, although situated in the war zone, has remained completely unaffected by the war is the lonely and littleknown island of Pentinck, in the Gull' of Carpentaria. Following upon the hostile reception received from its inhabitants early in the war by a small patrol of Australian troops, the island was placed out of bounds by the military authorities, and since then Pentinck has been left undisturbed.

The inhabitants of this northern outpost are regarded as the lowest surviving form of humanity, completely ignorant of even the simplest, forms of civilised existence. A low densely wooded sandstone island about (JO square miles in area Pentinck was discovered In November 1802 by Captain Matthew Flinders, who named .it after Lord William- Pentinck, then Governor of Madras (India). Swampy in parts, alive with vicious mosquitoes and sandflies, and a haunt lor snakes, the island is an uninviting place. Yet from time immemorial it has been the home of primitive natives yvho carry on a strange communal life.

But very little more Is known of these islanders today than was known a century ago, ior no white person lifts yet studied the natives at close quarters, nor lias been able even to stay for more than a few hours, on tlie island. From time to time, missionaries and others have paid visits to the outpost in the hope of winning the friendship of the islanders, but in every case the hostility of the natives has compelled a hurried retreat.

The natives are real Stone-Age people who have respulsed all attempts made to introduce them to civilised ways. They are not exactly war-like savages, but are hostile to all visitors.

Wear No Clothes

Very few white people have seen the native women or children, because at the approach of visitors all the women -ami children are sent to some secret hiding place in the interior of the island, while the men, formidably armed with spears, keep guard hidden in the bush.

The natives wear absolutely no clothes. Year in and year out they go stark naked. Nor do they build homes for any kind to shelter them from the weather; they simply sleep on the ground in all seasons without any covering at all. In most of their camps however they keep piles of dried grass which they use as mosquito “nets.”*,

* The island is infested witn the largest and most vicious of mosquitoes and to protect themselves during tlie daytime the islanders keep their bodies thickly smeared with grease while at night they sleep beneath tlie grass( which keeps the troublesome insects aAvay without stifling the sleepers.

They use no cooking or eating utensils except large scashells in which they carry and store water; smaller shells arc used as drinking vessels; and sharpened stones, which are used for opening oysters. They live simply on oysters, fish, turtles and bush berries. All food is simply thrown into a fire and left to roast for a time after which it is seized in the. hands and eaten after the manner of the carnivora. Fish are caught in primitive basket-like traps, which are sunk in the sea, and turtles are speared.

Canoes Unknown

Canoes are unknown on the island, the natives’ only sea-going vessels being primitive rails of a type not seen elsewhere in the Pacific.

In shape, these rafts resemble an elongated ‘‘V”. Some of them measure up to 12ft in length; they are constructed, of light saplings or logs securely tied together with rope made out of bark Jibr.es and vines, the. spaces between the saplings being filled either with tightly rammed grass or a ’‘cement” of clay, grass, and small stones.

The rafts arc unwieldy vessels, which cannot travel very fast, and they are propelled with long paddles resembling cricket bats in shape. A patrol vessel recently cruising round the south-eastern end of the island disturbed a native travelling

leisurely home on one of these rafts. As soon as lie caught sight of tlie vessel the native dropped his paddle plunged overboard, and swam madly for the island. On reaching the shore he hurried into the bush without once looking round. Shortly afterwards armed natives could be seen Hitting about in the bush fringing the shore, and the whole time tlie patrol vessel remained in the vicinity they kept a close watch.

Expert Spear-Thrower's

The islanders are expert spearthrowers. The only weapons they have ever been seen carrying are spears up to 12ft in length.

The heads are the needle-pointed spines of stingray sharp bones, fire toughened wooden barbs, or pieces of razor-sharp flint. One flint-headed spear thrown at a patrol pjirty landing* on the island early in the war struck the. side of a rowing boat with such force that it penetrated a half inch plank. The islanders have always refused to meet white people, and they have always declined to touch tobacco, and white man’s foods such a sugar and biscuits, which have been left on the island by missionaries. On one occasion a party of missionaries left blankets on the island during the winter months, thinking that the dusky nudists would appreciate them; but the natives merely threw them into the sea. Ten years ago an official Queensland Government party visited the island in an endeavour to make friends with the natives. Gifts of mirrors beads 'tomahawks, were taken ashore but even these failed to tempt the islanders from the bush.

The Government of Queensland lias proclaimed the island «, close native reserve, and anyone venturing there without permission is liable to a heavy line or imprisonment.