The Polynesian oven was a hole, three or four feet across, and a foot deep, dug in the ground. The bottom was lined with stones, which were covered with dry leaves, upon which a brisk fire was built. When the stones were red-hot, the dust and ashes were brushed out of the oven, and the potatoes, yams, and taro, or the pigs, dogs, fish, and birds were wrapped in leaves, and laid upon the hot stones. When all the food to be cooked had been neatly placed, leaves were laid above them, and hot stones on these. All was then covered in with leaves and earth, and left until thoroughly baked through.
Many of the strange peoples we have considered are filthy; Polynesians were unusually cleanly, and bathed frequently. In some islands surf bathing was the chief sport. Every traveller to Hawaii has described the practice. Babies were taken into the sea by their mothers within two or three days of their birth, and could swim as soon as they could walk. Old and young, men and women, bathe in the surf, and the heavier the waves the greater the sport. The surf-bathing board was five or six feet long, and a foot wide; it was carefully polished. Taking his board and pushing it before him, the man swam far out to sea, diving under the billows as he met them. When far enough out, he lay himself on the end of the board and waited for a great wave. When it came, he poised himself on its very crest, and paddling with hands and feet rode in upon it almost to the shore.
The Polynesians were warriors, and their battles were cruel and bloody. They rarely ventured into battle until their gods, through their priests, promised them success. To prepare themselves for war they practised in warlike arts. Thus they slung stones at marks, threw javelins, and wrestled. It is said that, in slinging, they were able to strike a small stick at fifty yards’ distance, four times out of five. In their javelin practice, the man at whom the weapon was thrown often caught it and hurled it back; some were so skilled that they “would allow six men to throw their javelins at them, which they would either catch and return on their assailants, or so dextrously turn aside that they fell harmless to the ground.” In going to war, a chief summoned all his friends and subordinates. When they had gathered, the gods—especially the war gods—were brought out to assist and encourage them. During the battle there was great noise and confusion; effort was made to kill the great chiefs of the enemy, so that their followers might be discouraged. Many were killed. Survivors fled to some fortress, or the mountains, or found safety in one of the curious “places of refuge,” within whose sacred precincts no harm could be done them.
For weapons, the Hawaiians had spears of great length, javelins, clubs which were used both for thrusting and striking, a hard wood dagger, and slings often made of human hair. On the Kingsmill Islands the natives made weapons, in many shapes or sizes, of wooden shafts, along the sides of which great numbers of sharks’ teeth were securely lashed. These weapons were used both for thrusting and striking, and were fearful things on naked bodies. In those same islands, and on account of these shark-tooth weapons, the natives had curious protective clothing or armor of cocoanut fibre.
KINGSMILL ISLANDER (TYLOR).
Many Polynesians were cannibals: some of them dreadful cannibals. Their eating of human flesh was often connected with their religion. They had many gods, whom they represented by idols. The Hawaiian war god is an example. His idol was an image four or five feet high; the upper part was of wickerwork covered with red feathers; the hideous face was supplied with a great mouth with triple rows of dog’s or shark’s teeth; the eyes were of shell, and upon the head was a helmet crested with long tresses of human hair.
XXXI.
CONCLUSION.
We have spoken of many Strange Peoples. We have gone around the world in our search. But after all we have examined but a small part. Remember that there are fifty-one peoples at least in the Philippines alone. We have not examined the Australians, or the unfortunate Tasmanians, or the many tribes of Siberia, or the sixty native populations of India. We have omitted great nations like the southeast Asians,—Siamese, Burmese, Annamese. In fact there are many times more Strange Peoples in the world whom we have not examined, than whom we have. But we have examined enough, I hope, to learn that they are interesting and deserve our acquaintance and our sympathy.
There are few unknown peoples left. Travellers have gone to almost all parts of the world. The spots which represent absolutely unexplored regions on our maps are now neither large nor numerous. There are many peoples about whom we know little, but there are not many who are actually unknown. Those that may be discovered hereafter will be interesting, but they are not likely to be very different from those now known.