NEW GUINEA NATIVES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1473, 27 February 1886, Page 3

NEW GUINEA NATIVES.

The Sydney Morning Herald correspondent on board the Governor Blackall thus referred to the natives of New Guinea : Off a village once visited by Captain Morsehy, R.N., on his voyage in H.M.S. Basilisk, we anchor and go on shore, 'lhe village, called “Jabbering” by. Morseby, lies in a small harbor of deep water off Cape Yogel. At first the natives were very timid and would not approach us ; after a lime they gained confidence, and one or two of the more intrepid camenp to ns. Finding we were friends, they were joined by the others, and finally the women and children, who had been in hiding, came and join the wondering parly round os. Soon gome \me brought us chatties of w&ter for it was for water they imagined we came. Their language was different to that of any we had formerly visited, bo we were obliged to converse by signs only, as we had no interpreter. In appearance the people are well formed, and slightly darker than the other races. Their features are of a pleasing and somewhat Jewish type, and rather indicate a Polynesian origin ; their hair is frizzy, and rudely adorned with shells. Neither men nor women seem to wear other ornaments i the latter wear a short grass petticoat, like the generality of New Guinea women. These were the most simple and ignorant folks we have yet come across ; they hrvo nothing, and they want nothing. Tobacco they had apparently never seen, for they did not seem to recognise it, and only threw it away when it was given to them, When we smoked they looked surprised and laughed, as it it

was a capital joke and nothing morn. Then we produced knives ; these were also unknown to them, and they did not want them either. They, alter the fashion of all we have visited, brought us green cocoanuts, and when we cut tho fibre of the husk to show tlnm transversely how to use a knife their astonishment knew no bounds, They thought that the fibre could only be lorn with the teeth. We iheo presented them with pieces of red cloth and looking-glasses. Now, indeed, we had struck the right chord. Their delight was great, and whatever they could give of their very scanty stock of belongings they would for the coveted cloth.