PAPUAN SPORT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8070, 28 March 1906, Page 4

PAPUAN SPORT.

About Juno, niton the long grass is getting dry, and the g:ii-iU-ns are poor, tlie Papuan bethinks himself ul the chase. This, too, is tho season of tho year when feasts flourish, dances ai\> held, ami neighbouring tribes intoiohango v'siis. So tho native fishes out hi.s best hunting spears.from tho thatch, and busk's himself impairing last year's pig-not, while tho women unroll tho lengilis of kangaroo-net too which the family sorcerer has affixed siioh hunting charms a.s pigs' eyelashes or pices of turmeric or ginger' and the oliorns goes' up, '•' 0, our fathers' fathers, give us good hunting." Th» smoke of tho " buni-offs" had been rising over flic lulls for some days, when Ahuia. the village constable 'of Hannabnda, came in to toll uu> that there was to bo a big battno next day some few miles out, and offered to accompany mo. Wo started off early, for I wished to see tho nets placed before the firing of the grass. It was evidently to be a big affair, chattering and giggling troops of villagers flocking out to tho scene. After a couple of hours' smart walking we reached a well-grassed flat between the hills, fatrlv clear of scrub, which the tribe had chosen as a good place for operations. Tho young men were gaudy with handsome headdresses of white plumes and coloured shell banded round tho forehead; long streamers of dyed mulberry bark waved from their armlets. The hunting chief, selected on account of his general knowledge of hunting, was particularly impressive with stained face and handsome jewellery. He was rushing about, pushing the girls this-way, and shouting ardens to the young men. or making a dart, over to show some old crone how to drive in a stake. I was lather surprised to 1» saluted by so important a personage, " Oho, Tabada (sir), you have come to see labana (limiting)." I stared. It was I'ala, who in private life acta as cook to a friend of mine.

Old -women were staking the nets out in u small valley. leaving 'moderate spaces 'between each ; the hunters spread themselves out in a wide circle as beaters; I'ala, with a selected band, iniido for the head of the vtilley to light the grass and head the game down to the nets; young girls in their gayest petticoats and beads scampered off to a. hillock, where they could see the killing. With a good wind the lire ran down Hie valley, followed by a mob of howling beaters and yelping dogs. Out of the grass, soared tind bewildered by the smoke, rushed kangaroo, wallaby, cassowary, and wild pig. .making for the end blocked by the nets, As they nnared the beaters closed in all round .with hind yells, while the girls fiiwn the hillock screamed out. words of praise or peered at some panting huntsman. " Klio, Pacini, thou bald head, the cassowary escapes you. o.' straight forehead!" The poor animals, tangled up in the big meshes, were speared or clubbed; yet many sneaked through, and off started the young men. Sometimes they got elo.se enough to hurl a spear; but, with 20 years of Law and order, the native has forgotten how to use a spear, and I did not see a single bit. the escaping animal being always pulled down by the dogs. -Two piglets broke away, and there was a wild chase after them, for pigs are usually taken alive and brought home. The pig is part and parcel of the Papuan household, and is certainly regarded as a more desirable addition to it than the latest baby.

' An ohtinsker broke cover, and cause;l a wild scatter. Disregarding the .small fry, lie singled out Uala, who flung Ids dignity to the winds and made for the nearest tree. His expression, ';is he locked down bt " piggy " from a safe heigiit, was comic. Stung by the giggles of Sis followers, lie made a half-hearted thrust ■with the spear, which hy some chance inflicted a slight wound. Seizing the opportunity, the dogs nushed in, and the brute was killed. Uala crawled down somewhat crestfallen, but explained ho had run because "' the pig was a devilpig, ho put puripuri (soiwy) on me, and my stomach turned to water." The battue went on all day. In the afternoon tho women came down to carry in the game. No self-respecting Papuan -thinks of -doing such work as this while there are women folk to do so for iiim. So the women, loaded up with tho .sp:iil.s, well smoke-dried to preserve the meat, topped the bundles with a lead of Art-wood, and we started hack. A feast was to be held that night atthn village. " 'Would Ibe presents They had yams and .sugar-cane and UMranas." When we got back it was nearly dark, and tlr* woir.cn set once about preparing the feast. Wallaby wias boiled in a stow with sago and yams, and roasted in banana leaves; pigs were treated in the same way. Puddings were also concooted with saga and grated cucoanut; nianv other good things, too, of which I cannot rrecollect- the recipes. All the.se were, doubtless, excellent, but I could not fancy the native Mrs Beeton. and contended myself with a few bananas. A native feast is not mis-named. The Papuan may not always get full una regular meals, at least in Hannabada; but when meat is plentiful he gorges, well, till " the force of nature tan no further go." In the intervals of feeding each good hunter arose—for thefeast was held out of doom—and orated on his prowess in the field. And as I left for home I heard Uala explaining with very unnecessary additions how he had slain the devil-pig alone. I A hunt is sometimes kept up for « j week at aty me. As far as I could make j out, at a tribal hunt the proceeds are shared out equally to each family, but- si j man may hunt privately at other'timer!. Thero are no particular private hunting rights, but it is usual, if a kill is ! made on private, property, to give tho ' owner part of the animal"killed. I