BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO 



From Dr. A. B. Meyer's "Album xoit, P/lilippinen 

 ' 1 Dresden. 



MAN OF NEW BRITAIN. 



native Avorkers; some 3,500 children attend school. So 

 far as one can judge, the Papuan has not as yet been 

 deeply impressed by the truths of the Gospel. But 

 the success of the above Society has been recognised 

 by the Government, for a Colonial Office Report says: 

 " But if striking outward manifestation of the working 

 of religious feeling be rare among those under the 

 influence of the Mission, it can be said without re- 

 serve that the labours of the missionaries have to 

 such an extent modified the ways of thinking and the 

 social relations of the natives, that the good they 

 have done is incalculably great." Missionaries of the 

 Order of the Sacred Heart are also at work here, 

 but each society has a separate field, so that there 

 is no overlapping. 



BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO. 



A LITTLE to the east of New Guinea lies the Bismarck 

 Archipelago, which belongs to Germany. The people 

 here are Papuans. The chief islands are New Britain 

 (Neu Pommern the Germans call it), New Ireland 



(Neu Mecklenberg), the Admiralty group, and Duke of York Islands. 



In New Britain a young man contemplating matrimony confides the secret to his 



parents, or, if he be an orphan, to the chief of the tribe to which he belongs, informing 



them at the same time who is the maiden that he wishes for. He is then sent off into the 



bush, in order, we may suppose, to be out of the way while his father goes to the girl's 



relations to arrange about the dowry, or purchase-money, over which there is usually much 



haggling. On the wedding day a feast is held at the bridegroom's house, with the usual 



accompaniments of music and dancing. The bride does a good deal of dancing herself. 



Meanwhile, the unfortunate bridegroom is still waiting 



in the bush; the parents at last send some one to 



bring him in. The person deputed for this purpose 



may have great difficulty in finding him; for young 



men, on these interesting occasions, frequently wander 



away for many a mile with the idea of escaping 



from the power of departed spirits, who are supposed 



at such times to exercise an evil influence. These 



excursions into the "forest primeval" are not un- 

 attended with danger, for there is a risk of the 



bridegroom being killed by some hostile tribe on the 



war-path. Should a chief desire to be allied by 



marriage with a particular family, he buys a child 



before its birth. Should it prove to be a boy, the 



presents are returned; if a girl, she becomes his 



absolute property, although living with her parents 



until old enough to become his wife. When married, 



there is no limit to the power of her lord and master, 



who can even take her life. There is a horrible story 



of a chief who lived on the shore of Blanche Bay. 



His young wife used to cry and beg to be allowed 



to return to her own people, and, what Avas much 



From Dr. A. B. Meyer's " Album von Phillpjnnen 

 Ti/ijen^ Dresden. 



AVOMAN OF NEW BRITAIN. 



