1938-02-26 — Page 3

THE

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY

26,

1938.

BREAKS OUT ON LONELY Bright Spring BREAKS

CIVIL WAR.

ISLAND OFF AUSTRALIAN COAST

Aboriginals Fight

For Women In Tribal Battles

By Tony E. Slater

CIVIL WAR han broken out at Bathurst Island, 50

miles from Darwin on the lonely north Australian const, but you are not likely to hear much about it because civil wars at Bathurst Island are common, and few ever appear to get killed, anyway.

The 2,000 aboriginals who live on this tropic island.

Mr. F. A. Sequaira's 'pointer tenanly awaiting his master's commend.

fight with spears. In almost every instance these tribal Prince And Princess Too

fights have been caused by women. This time is because an old man has had his wife stolen and something had to be done about it.

weeks before

Message carved on sticks have been received in Darwin, summoning the young men of Bathurst and Melville Islands to leave the mainland and return to their homes, sharpen up their spears and join in. It will take several more this battle begins to rage in carnest as there are a number of ceremonies to be performed before the great battle cry is raised. There is no hurry to begin; time stands still for the aboriginals on this island which has been comparatively untouched by civilization.

of one is of littlo consequence.

In all probability this war will band generally has a number of still be raging when all is quiet again "lubras," as they are called, the loss on the Chinese and Spanish fronts. The natives of Bathurst Island have been known to continue the same war for generations.

There are no single girls or widows on these islands. The girl bables are actually married on the day their After plastering their bodies with mothers are born. This is how it is elaborate designs in red and yellow arranged. When a boy is born his a mother-in-law who ochre, the warriors take sides, ac- uncles give him

Her future cording to the totemic group into is called an "Emprenua." When daughters will all be which each aboriginal is born.

his wives. have exhausted themselves in Naturally, before the man-child can they hurling Insults they start with spears marry he must wait until his mother- and clubs This marks the real in-law has some daughters and the beginning of the battle The side first-born has to grow to girlhood be- scoring the most hits wins, but as fore she can be married, which is there are always heated arguments generally at a time when her husband

to become move spirited as the days, wecks and meaths go on, and as the wounded recover to continue their attacks.

thing.

TN

Poor To Buy Shop

the tiny two-roomed cottage in Hampton Court Palace Gardens, where Prince Andrew, nephew of the last Tsar of All the Russias, and his wife live, they told of their six-months struggle to raise money to open a shop.

Claims Uncle

Saw Ghost:

Hair Turned White

Blood relationship does not | nessman.

Twenty-one years ago, before the revolution they were naturally living In diferent circumstances.

Before a blazing gas fire in the cosy Victorian-papered allting-room Princess Andrew told a Sunday Dispatch reporter why they chose to live in the little cottage that makes part of the house tho Prince's mother, the Grand Duchess Xenia, has had fent to her by the King and Queen

"It is so

there!

Queen Of Seas For Scrap

New York, Feb. 16. Scarred and rusty with age, the S. S. Leviathan, once the will ultimate in ocean travel, drop her pilot for the last time this month.

Minus maals and tunnels, the for- mer proud and undisputed Queen of

Spring Wear for Little Folk

LIGHT Weight twEED COATS

Seos, Dying the British flag for the THE TOTS WILL LOVE THEM, ATTRACTIVE STYLES & COLOURS

first time in her colourful career, will

be outward bound on her last voyage to the shipyards of Rosyth, Scotland where she will be broken up for

scrup.

Stripped of her fine furnishing that delighted wealthy travellers twe de codes ago, her trim steel flanka conted with grime and soot from docks, the old ship will cross the three years idleness in the Hoboken Atlantic again under her own steam, just as she did for 24 history-making

years.

The Loviathan first sicared into New York harbour in 1914, as the German llner Vaterland, of the Hamburg-American line. Interned by the United States, she was later converted into a transport and carried 110,000 Dough Boys to France, 11,470 voyage. For of them in a single many years the was rated the world's largest ship, and the last word in luxurious travel. For several years her record of 27.49 knots for sus~ tained speed remained unbroken.

LOSES MONEY

and

the

Newer and faster ships, a product the of post-War prosperity, took Leviathan's place in popular favour. much more peaceful

liner began lose money ruinously. STORY of the ghost of a dead here," she explained, "and we like Never a commercial success, the old When the latest luxury ships enter workman which haunted a small to be on our own factory and turned the owner's hair "You see, there are so many of the North Atlantic service, the

the "Normandie" with over the referee, the battle is likely is old enough to be her grandfather.|from black to white in a night was them in Wilderness House (a stone Europa," the "Bremen," the "Rex It

There is no law restricting the num- told to a Sunday Chronicle corres throw from the cottage and over- ber of wives a man may have, pondent by Mr. Ivor Weedon, a well-looking the road at Hampton Court). "Queen Mary" already under con- Polygamy is considered the correct known Adamsdown (Cardiff) busi-But our three children sleep over siruction, competition became too strong and the Leviathan's owners, the United States Line, obtained The queer marriage laws of this bar these natives from marrying and "My uncle had a small workshop "Then, besides them, there is the permission to lay her up in 1934. otherwise idyllic island are the chief there are several instances of half-

Recently she was sold for $732,000 reasons for these bloodthirsty wars brothers being married to half-sisters, in Cordin," he said, "One night a Grand Duchess (the Tsar's sister).

to be broken up for scrap. Marriage is everybody's business and Totem relationship, however, is an man on the night shift was drawn Prince Nikita, and his wife and their

into some machinery and killed.

Ship news reporters, many of is the predominating tople of con-inviolable obstacle to marriage.

"I was alone in the workshop. a

QUEEN MARY MODEL versation. The first rule is that manj is transmitted not through the father,

whom for years had boarded the and wife must be of different totems. as it is on the mainland, but through few days later when in walked a

"Until recently we lived at Frog-ship at Quarantine to interview her the mother, so that when a man has workman. He took no notice of me,j Devotion another rule which must more than one wife the offspring are but walked straight to his locker, more Lodge. Then we all ved famous passengers, were permitted a parting visit to the near-derelict around for. not be violated. Indeed, some of the of different totems and are permitted rummaged

several together; It was alightly bigger. offspring are so devoted to their to inter-marry.

minutes, and then walked out of the

"We had been there 14 years. It hulk. Dust and disorder had re- placed the expansive atmosphere of room.. parents that they bury them alive

a decade, ago. The famous royal when they became old so that they

"Prince Andrew and I have run a suit, with its private sun-terrace, will be spared the pain of lingering

shop before," the Princess continued. was in gloomy confusion; blankets We sold bags designed by my hus- were strewed on the beds, bureau very successful drawers open as its last occupant band. He did a

had left them after a hectic search for-something left behind.

deaths!

It

family.

was like home to us.

When a man dies all his old wives'

HAUNTED FACTORY are given to young men and his young wives are given to old men. Az

"It was the man, who had been might be expected, the more wives killed in the machinery. SLAVES TO HUSBANDS

man has the less harmonious is "My uncle came in to find ma the home atmosphere. Roused by nearly paralysed with fright, He model bag of the Queen Mary. Because the men on this loland are jealousy, the lubras have furious laughed at my story.

"We had just begun to do really

In all the public rooms, furniture condemned to bachelorhood until they fights among themselves which even

"Next morning, however, wol well, and managed to buy a car on was gathered in the centre of the are 30 or even 45, the birthrate a husband could not stop, even if seriously decreasing. Marriago he bothered, to try. There is one were together in the room alone the hire-purchase system, when we floor and secured with rope. Storm when the door suddenly opened hod to leave. The woman who lemps hung in the dank corridors, anything but a bed of roses in wife in Bathurst Island who goes

the

went and in walked the ghost.

owned

building Bathurst and Melville Islands for the about her daily tasks minus a nose,

into casting ccrle shadows on the cob liquidation just before the Corona-

webs that hid the glory of another unions are ruled by fear. There which was bitten off in fit of

"My uncle was so shaken by the tion, and the new owners needed duy. In the

two gymnasium, no love in the matter at all. The wife jealousy by one of the other wives experience that he did not sleep that our little room.

mechanical bleycles still worked, is a slave to her husband and he beats of her husband.

night and. when ho came to the her for the slightest offence and zome

hunted painfully creaicing out the

shown on a circular scale on the times wives die from wounds in- | All the hard work about the camps workshop next morning his hair had

wall. But the electric horse, that As flicted by their husbands. ajis done by the wives, and, in addi- gone as white as snow.

once helped the wealthy travellers tlon, they have to find food to feed their lords and masters.

eyes with a mirror, a tomahawk, a "But 2000 a year or more they remove unwanted obesity, jogged no

An absurd price, and one we more. Although half the women are child-knife, a billycan, a strip of calico, a want.

Already workmen fretted on the less and the birthrate is low, these tobacco, all of which, in the eyes of

blanket, a bag of flour and some could not possibly afford

deserted decks. Blow-torches attack- islanders have no compunction what-the old husband, were far more desi-

"All I have left the dark-ed the funnels and masts, clearing ever in destroying one of the twins. The reason for this inhuman practice rable than the girl. So it was agreed haired princess smiled, "Is my soul." is that the mother cannot rear two that this girl should be sold for these bables at once. The infant is usual-goods of which the value was about Ly buried alive. The devotion of £2.

LOSTI A SMILE Because she used a

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parents, usually inspired by fear, is

so great among the offspring that

their own families.

GIRLS TRAINED

were

"Since then we have everywhere for a cheap room to use as a shop.

THE

milies

the superstructure for the liner's last trip, and so as to allow her to pass under the Firth of Forth Bridge. Electricians examined the KING'S EX-HOME wiring on the bridge and repaired

TO LET.

THE LAST STORY

the telegraph that will signal "Full Speed Ahead" for the last time. they will provide food for their From that date until 1923, ona hun-

The Leviathan will call under Bri- fathers and mothers before feeding dred and twenty four girls

"To Let a fine house containing fish command and a skeleton crew, bought and trained by the sisters at nine reception rooms, 20 bedrooms, but with an American staff in her

or all modern conveniences, And a engine-room. Twenty-five years ago the Roman the mission. When they were 15 or

10 and had a good knowledge of spacious garden. Four minutes from Catholic church hearing about the in domestic duties, they were allowed Buckingham Palace." human customs of the Islands, deeld- to marry mission boys of their own ed to establish a mission station on choles. At various periods they were If advertisement were necessary, As if tensing that the reporters, Bathurst to try to improve matters permitted to leave the station for a this is what could be written of 145, who mirrored her old glory in miles Bought a last story At first it seemed that the task which month's holiday, or "walkabout" a Plecadilly, former home of the King of nowsprint, the priests had set themselves would it in called in aboriginal pidgin and Queen, which their Majestics that might be a fitting curtain to the be hopeless. It was realised that English.

have decided shall be let on a lease most colourful of the modern sagas of about 30 years. Its disposal is in of the sea, the hold hulk reemed for sudden changes involving the found- ing of family life among the natives Martins, the first girl who had been the hands of the Commissioners of a second as if it would reach the on Christian principles, would result bought from the old husband married Crown Lands, but it is understood in chaos, social, moral and economic. and had five children. On one of that the names of would-be tenants They eventually came to the conclu- their "walkabouts" the eldest daugh- will be submitted to the King. sion that the only step they could ter, Elizabeth, aged five, was stolen take was to try to substitute mono- The family returned and explained gamy for natives.

polygamy

among the matters to the priest, who had for

gotten that Martina's daughters had been given away the day she herself Martina's

This idea followed the visit of a had been born. It was ten-year-old giel who sought refuge son-in-law who had seized Elizabeth. at the mission station. She stayed The priest ordered Martina and the until an old man, who was her lawful husband by tribal negotiation before at of her family to go back to the she was born, kidnapped her. In bush and not return to the mission

In until they had recovered Elizabeth. fear and trembling she returned to

Last year, they returned to the mis-

the station with a spear wound in sion with the missing child.

The her leg which had been inflicted by father had at last been able to seize her enraged master.

Elizabeth from the old husband while The old man's tribe arrived a week she was playing in the jungle, nERF Inter, painted and armed for war, his camp. Father Gsell soon received They demanded the return of the word that the furious husband was girl, but she screamed and pleaded making preparations to wage wat on with

in signor Gsell, the mainnor the mission that he could once again |

his

to keep and protect her take back his little black girl wife. from her husband and the warriors. The perplexed priest prayed. 11 To galo time, the missionary gave was all he could do, and he deemed

to presents to the tribesmen. Their it an answer

when the prayer anger died down a little and they husband died (probably of old age) decided to settle down for the night and little Elizabeth was set free.

Now, all purchases of girls are be- and camp round the mission.

ing made only after the”- consent of Why not buy the girl7 · The idea the father, husband and son-in-law of came suddenly to the worried mis-jeach child, so in future, after the

EMPRESS INDIVIDUAL WAVE

EXPERT OPERATORS

1st Floor Exchange Bldg. Phone 32508,

Marie's

onary during the night. Next morn present civil war has died down, mat- BEAUTY CHOPI

tog when the warriors clambered fers should be more peaceful on them

on his verandah, ho dazzled their islands at the top of Australia.

front page once more. Sparks from

a nearby forge fell on her deck, firing some all-stained canvas. But the Leviathan ending its days in a majestic blaze was only the vision of a montent. Firemen came aboard and quickly put it out

Gf

were

But the Leviathan's career in the news was not entirely ended. Only a few days before she was scheduled to sail, someone mysteriously stole two oil paintings from the ship's deserted smoking rooms, The paint- Ings, valued at $150 each, were variously described as scenes Hamburg and New York 150 years ago, and as paintings of an old gal leon

and

a frigate. Police mystified as to how the thief had gained access to the ship, and how the he had managed to unserew frame, remove the glass, cut the two and then escape canvases away down the single guarded gangplank to the pler without being detected. Only one room In the ship bears the marks of glory unexcelled dark and hollow cor- by time. In ner of the hull, the tiled swimming pool, caked in mud and with its once beautiful fixtures corroded and Trusty, remains o .tho atand-by officers, the largest and finest. over built futó a ship;; Not even the Blue Ribbon feet of 1990 can boast wusti episodeur,--United Fram

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