RACE OF PIGMIES

Marlborough Express, Volume LX, Issue 229, 28 September 1926, Page 7

RACE OF PIGMIES

NEW GU1NEA DISC0VERY. SMALL AND TIMID PEOBLE. SYDNEY, Aug. 20. Air W. R. Thomas, a passcnger Avho arrived hy the Alataram from Rabaul this week, said that much interest had heen aAvakened in the Madang district, on the Ncav Guinea coast, hy the discovery of a rocc of small people. Six months ago, said Mr Thomas, a German plantation oAvner, Mr J. Eidelbach, accompanied hy Flather Kirchbaum, went- 100 miles up the Ra mu River. They Avent inland over mountainous country. After travelling for some hours Mr Eidelbach noticed a native village. eomposed of small round gi^ass bouses, none of them being more than 5ft. high. Entering the village, Mr Eidelbach found several small people of very light color, the tallest being not more than 4ft 6in in lieight. Many of them wero not more than 3ffc 6in high. Mf Eidelbach spent some timo trying to make friends with tliem. This Avas not easy, becan.se the pigmies were very nervous . and had a great fear of people Italler than themselves. Howei'er, he succeeded in getting near some of them and making a more thorough inspection of their mode of living and habits. Mr Thomas said that it Avas found fihat many of the pigmies Jived in little caves hewn out of the sides of the hills. Their movements were agile, and ^hey darted about with a, quick, light step. Each man was armed with a minature bow and arroAAr, but tliey did not use spears, They were too timid to be aggressive.