NEW GUINEA 



29 



often most elaborately carved. Some Papuans worship their ancestors; they certainly have no 

 doubts regarding a future life. 



The Papuan men, being warriors, look down . upon their women-folk, whom they regard 

 as labourers at least to a certain extent. The wives, however, are not, as a rule, badly 

 treated, and by no means as mere slaves, for they somehow contrive to have a voice in the 

 management of affairs, both domestic and public. As in Europe in the time of Julius Caesar, 

 so here, it is often the women who incite the men to war, or perhaps to deeds of murder 

 and plunder. They have been known to arouse the fighting instinct in men by rushing 

 wildly into their midst and addressing them in such terms as these: "What! Are you 

 afraid to do this? and yet you call yourselves men and warriors! Out upon you! You have 

 not the hearts of men; you are more like a pack of old women! You ought to put on the 

 grass petticoat, stay at home, and do the cooking!" Taunts such as these usually have the 

 desired effect. When a man is grown up, he looks out for a wife; but there are difficulties 

 in the way, and the would-be husband may have to wait a long time. Wives cannot be got 

 for nothing, and so the man (we can hardly call him a lover) must make the best use he 

 can of his time, and get together no small amount of worldly goods wherewith to buy his 

 wife from her parents, or, if they are dead, from her guardians. The payment usually 

 consists of pigs, food, ornaments, pearl-shells, calico and beads, or other European articles of 

 manufacture, if such have found their way to his village. There is usually great variety in 

 the presents. Mr. William Lindt, some of whose beautiful photographs are here reproduced by 



Photo by 



[Melbourne. 



PILE-DWELLINGS. KOITAPU, AT LOW \VATEK. 



