THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



his kind permission, says in his book " Pic- 

 turesque New Guinea": "Among other 

 curious sights, we were shown the price, or 

 dowry, of a wife, heaped upon the platform 

 of one of the houses. It consisted of a 

 quantity of all kinds of New Guinea goods 

 and chattels, pots, earthenware, wooden wea- 

 pons, birds-of-paradise plumes, baskets of 

 yams, bunches of bananas, and other produce. 

 Among the articles were two pigs tied up 

 underneath the house. The bride herself 

 sat, all smiles, on the verandah above, over 

 her earthly treasures, with as much pride as 

 any white sister 'might feel on exhibiting her 

 trousseau." The pig or pigs must on no 

 account be omitted. As a rule, a woman, on 

 her marriage, is deprived of all her hair and 

 ornaments. As a sign to all that she is 

 now married, her face is tattooed; young 

 girls are tattooed all over the body, their 

 faces only excepted. On the day of the 

 wedding a great feast is held, at which the 

 company devours yams, bananas, betel-nut, 

 and the fatted pig. Presents are brought by 

 the invited guests, and these consist chiefly 

 of contributions to the marriage feast. Bride 

 and bridegroom are dressed in all their best 

 garments, and decked out in feathers and 

 shells and bright leaves of plants. No priest 

 is called in to tie the knot, and as soon as 

 the feasting is over the young couple settle 

 down to married life. The marriage tie, un- 

 fortunately, is not considered very binding, 

 and it is no uncommon tiling for a woman 

 to leave her husband three or four times 

 during their married life. Under these cir- 

 cumstances domestic life can hardly be said 

 to present a pleasing picture; quarrels are matters of frequent occurrence. 



The manners and customs of New Guinea vary greatly in different parts of the island. 

 Hereditary chiefs are unknown, and there is no recognised form of government. Public 

 opinion, however, is strong, and the people have unwritten rules of conduct. 



We may be allowed to add a few words in conclusion on miesion work in this great 

 island (which is very much larger than Great Britain). Dutch and German missionaries have 

 been at work since 1856 iu Geelvink Bay, on the north-west coast, Dutch territory, but with 

 little success. The Papuan is so self-reliant as to be almost entirely devoid of the feelings 

 of reverence and respect, and it seems hopeless to look for any great results in this territory 

 at least with the present generation. But in British territory missionary labours have been 

 by no means in vain. The Wesleyan Mission began work in 1891, and the Anglican Mission 

 in the same year. The London Missionary Society has been established many years; it is 

 under the management of Mr. Chalmers and Mr. Lawes (two of whose photographs we 

 reproduce by kind permission on pages 25 and 28), who have both rendered great service 

 to science by their careful researches in Ethnology. It has over 50 stations and about 100 



By permission of Dr. IT. //. Gnilltintird. 

 TWO ARFAK MEN. 



