DARWIN'S THEORY CONFIRMED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3577, 28 December 1882, Page 4

DARWIN'S THEORY CONFIRMED.

A confirmation of, the Darwinian theory of tho descent of man is given by tho way in which the natives of Hawaii climb trees and eat cocoa-nnts. A correspondent of the San J.'rancisco Call gives an interesting account of bow these feats were performed at the special instance of King Kalakaua. The cocoa-nut trees in the grove which was visited are each about 100 ft high, and are as devoid of limbs or other helps for climbing as a flagstaff. A native boy about 15 years old was ordered to climb a tree and throw down some fruit. He placed the palms of his bands on the tree's sides ; dug bis toes into the slightly rough bark, and suddenly to the amazement of the foreign spectators, began ■walking up tho tree, much, it would seem, as an ape would have done. Until lie reached the very top be touched no part of bis body to the tree saving bis palms and toes. At the top be wound his legs around the tree and with his hands began to throw clown nuts. After be had descended a fullgrown native was ordered up. He placed only bis palms and the soles of Ins feet against tho tree, and proceeded to run to the top. He disdained to give himself, tbe slight advantage of digging bis toes into the bark, and would have proudly fallen at any time rather than wind a leg or clasp an arm around the tall tree, up which be ran with as much ease as though it had been lying prostrate. When be reached the top, instead of clasping tbe tree with bis arms, he held on with both palms and one foot, and ■with the other -foot proceeded to kick off tbe cocoa-nuts, directing them towards any of us he selected. Tho natives on the ground took the young cocoa-nuts and stripped them of the tough fibrous 'covering over the shell with their teeth. The shells themselves ■were white and so pulpy as to be easily bitten through.