There is a remarkable1 difference between the natives of the New Hebrides group and any of the inhabitants of the adjoining islands. In character, disposition2, mode of living and religion, they are in many respects far ahead of their neighbours, and, strange to say, so are the islands. The soil is better and the climate is more to the liking3 of the European, and, owing to the proximity4 of the islands to Sydney, they are better served and more up-to-date. Port Vila in Sandwich Island, the chief centre, is only five days’ sail from that city.
Settlement in the New Hebrides has been going on for some time, and the white population has nearly doubled itself within the last few years. In 1901, the French residents and traders far out-numbered the English, but to-day another tale is {144} told, and British enterprise and power of colonisation have made a difference in this group; so much so that they are hardly recognisable, and they only need careful legislation to enable them to overcome the obstacles mentioned earlier in this book.
Where dense5, uncleared bush grew a few years ago in tangled6 confusion, blocking out even the light by its thickness, acres of cultivated ground can now be seen, which bring to their owners results worthy7 of twice the toil8 that has been expended9 on them.
The Hebrides is a veritable paradise for the pioneer settler who loves the wild freedom of island life and is not afraid of work.
A good deal of the prosperity of these islands is undoubtedly10 owing to the strenuous11 efforts of the missionaries12, the Australian Government, and that gigantic trading firm of Messrs. Burns Philp, who have established a monthly service of steamers, which call at all the important islands to deliver and take away produce. Throughout the South Seas they have trading stations, but in New Hebrides their success has met with better returns than elsewhere, owing to the greater number of settlers who have gone there and made their homes in these beautiful islands.
THE RAPIDS, WILLIAMS RIVER, ISLAND OF EROMANGA, NEW HEBRIDES
{145}
The chief industry is, as in the Solomon Islands, copra, but coffee, maize13, tobacco, bananas, pineapples, and many other tropical products, are being cultivated successfully, and each year shows some new advance in agriculture; it is safe to say that before long these islands will not be far behind the West Indies.
Another feature that has assisted the prosperity of this group is the fact that those natives who have served their three years on the plantations14 in Queensland have not gone back to idleness, as the Solomon islanders have, but, in the majority of cases, have set to work on a patch of ground of their own, from which they have earned good money and so have assisted the prosperity of their country.
It is needless to say that with all these changes the ancient customs of the natives are fast dying out, which in some cases is rather sad; but, as may be supposed, in others it is a good thing, and the sooner their worst ceremony, that of burying the old men alive, is wiped out the better.
Even to-day, in Malekula, this custom, which has prevailed evidently since the beginning of the race, is only kept alive by the old men; the younger ones show an absolute distaste for it. {146} Directly a man or woman shows signs of decrepitude15 or helplessness, those who are nearest to that stage themselves tell him that his time has come, and that his burial will take place on such and such a date.
On the arrival of the day, the grave for the intended victim is dug, and, in front of a large crowd, the old man is led or carried to it—if he be too weak to get into it himself. He is then stretched out at full length, and, whilst incantations are sung, the earth is thrown over him, and willing hands soon have the ground level and solid above him, and the old man is left there to die. The spectators of this ghastly scene then adjourn16 to a feast, which is to many of them the most important part of the ceremony.
MOUNT MARION, THE ACTIVE VOLCANO, ISLAND OF AMBRYN, NEW HEBRIDES
In some cases the buried man has had sufficient strength left in him to upheave the earth and rise out of his grave, and has even attempted to join the feast, but he has been still considered dead, and no one has given him food. If he be strong enough and can obtain food for himself, he is buried again and again, until at last he has to die from pure exhaustion17, if nothing else. Should, however, a very tough customer be met with, and it is found that he refuses to die, and each time gets out of {147} his grave, he is strangled before being buried again; for once his death sentence has been passed it must be carried out—he is a dead man from that hour and nothing can save him. I may add that directly the man is buried his property is divided amongst the villagers, so that if he were allowed to come back he would be a homeless wanderer, and no one would have anything to do with him.
In deference18 to the other islands it is only fair to state that Malekula is the most savage19 one of the group. From a missionary20 point of view the island of Tanna is perhaps the worst, as it is stated that, after sixty years of labour on this island, the converts to Christianity can all be counted on the fingers of two hands.
Aoba and Sandwich Islands are both beautiful spots and more favoured than any of the other islands, when beautiful scenery is required. There are two fine volcanoes, which add considerably21 to the interest of the New Hebrides. One of them is at Ambryn, which almost rivals Etna, and is generally belching22 forth23 fire and fumes24 and now and then a heavy stream of lava25, which makes it somewhat dangerous—as was proved not a dozen years ago by an eruption26 there which played havoc27 with the place, absolutely destroyed a whole {148} village, and discoloured the sea for miles round. The roar of the other one at Tanna can be heard quite distinctly at Port Resolution. One of the peculiarities28 is that an eruption occurs systematically29 every five minutes, though it is not a bad one. The walk to the volcano through the dense forest from Port Resolution is very beautiful, and if one keeps on the weather side of it, so as to avoid the fumes, a more enjoyable half-hour’s climb cannot be found. On reaching the top the full view of the enormous chasm30 is appalling31, and the rugged32, torn, and blistered33 sides, the curling smoke and fumes, and the great gulf34, present a picture rivalling our worst ideas of the lower regions. The explosion which shakes the whole mountain puts a finishing touch to the scene.
In spite of their more civilised condition the New Hebrides natives are intensely interesting, owing to the fact that they can speak English, and like to boast about their acquaintance with Englishmen in Queensland, and therefore think it necessary to speak the English language to show they have been there. This enables a visitor to get information regarding their customs and ceremonies much more easily than in the other groups.
A VILLAGE IN SANTO, NEW HEBRIDES
In the foreground are seated two men, the one on the left with a bow. The women behind them have their heads shaved in the usual way, with only a mane down the top of the head. On the ground are ordinary native pots. The long poles in the thatch36 are for the purpose of keeping it from being blown off, and the poles in front are a defence against pigs and dogs, one of which is seen coming round the corner.
The natives themselves, taking them as a whole, {149} are better built and of a more striking appearance than those of the Solomon Islands. They resemble more nearly the Fijian type than any of the inhabitants of the sister islands.
A peculiarity37 most noticeable in the villages is that there is greater cleanliness and order; the houses are mostly built in groups of four or five, and are low, broad, barn-like huts in which you have to climb up a few feet and down again in order to gain admittance to the living rooms. They are built on the ground and not on piles, and each group is surrounded by a coral wall on which are stuck long bamboo canes38. These take root immediately, as the wall is built when the coral is soft, and present an interesting sight. The bamboo canes form a fine high fence, which, unfortunately, in time totally obscures the houses.
A gap in the wall is left for the residents of these queer compounds to pass backwards39 and forwards. Between the houses and the wall a large cleared space is left where the pigs, the dogs, and the babies play.
The interiors of the houses are not quite as pleasant or artistic40. The whole place inside is blackened with smoke and soot41, owing to the smoke from the fire having no proper outlet42. The {150} fire is usually lit as near the door as possible, but as the doors are very low the smoke has first to fill the room before it finds its way out. The thatch being thicker than is usual there is very little room for escape in that quarter. Bamboo is used chiefly to build the frames on which to thatch the grass. Forked sticks of a stouter43 material bear the main weight of the roof, flimsy bamboo canes are bent45 right over the ridge46 pole about six inches apart, and secured to another stout44 pole near the ground, lathes47 are then run across the bamboo and lashed48 to them with fibre, and on this framework the outside of the house is made.
The floors are covered with mats on which the natives squat49 by day and sleep at night. Screen mats also divide the interiors of the huts and cut off the sleeping apartments. A few cooking utensils50 and worn-out, soot-begrimed weapons are generally to be seen lying about, but beyond these articles and the natives themselves, nothing else takes up any room in these dark abodes51.
Each island has its own particular way of building a house, and those in Malekula are perhaps the best and most modern. Light is admitted to them through a window at the back, which is boarded up at night or in rough weather.
CHIEF’S HOUSE, AMBRYN, NEW HEBRIDES
Round these houses are dry-built stone or coral walls. I saw more huts on this island encompassed52 in this way than on any other. The large shell hanging from the pole is a sign of a tapu.
{151}
The usual custom of natives to build near a fresh-water stream is not carried out in the New Hebrides; they seem to object to fresh water and seldom, if ever, drink it.
Occasionally they bathe in the sea; but here again they show a marked difference to the other islanders, for they seldom swim except when necessity compels them to do so, and so averse53 are they to water that they will actually walk an extra half-mile to avoid having to wade54 or swim through a creek55.
The sanitary56 arrangements of the village are, of course, conspicuous57 by their absence, and were it not for the crowd of dogs, pigs, and fowls58, no visitor could go near them. The work of the missionaries, however, has done much to improve the home life of the natives, and in many villages their influence shows itself in the better construction of the houses and the greater neatness of the villagers; and much as the searcher after “original conditions” might object to these improvements, he must declare that from an artistic point of view, if from no other, these villages surpass those where the missionaries have not been able to make headway.
The blending of savage ideas and European {152} methods makes a quaint35 and interesting picture. A thatched squat native house with a neat coral path is infinitely59 better than the muddy, sloppy60 places of the past, and a hut where one can see when inside it, and where one is not blinded by the smoking fire, is surely much better than one in its native condition, smoke-begrimed and smelling, however natural its former condition was.
The tambu houses are more carefully constructed here, and are thatched with banana leaves. They are of course much bigger than the living houses, and are to be seen close to the dancing grounds in each place. In them are kept all the accessories to the dances, for dancing plays a more important part in the life of the New Hebridean than it does elsewhere, and very elaborate grounds, houses, and regalias are used. But this side of the life we will leave for another chapter, as to understand it a further insight into their other ceremonies is necessary.
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1
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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3
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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4
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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9
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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12
missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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13
maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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14
plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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15
decrepitude
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| n.衰老；破旧 | |
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16
adjourn
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| v.（使）休会，（使）休庭 | |
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17
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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18
deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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19
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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20
missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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22
belching
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| n. 喷出，打嗝 动词belch的现在分词形式 | |
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23
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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fumes
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| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
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25
lava
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| n.熔岩，火山岩 | |
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26
eruption
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| n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作 | |
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havoc
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| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
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peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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29
systematically
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| adv.有系统地 | |
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chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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33
blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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35
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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thatch
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| vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋) | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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38
canes
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| n.（某些植物，如竹或甘蔗的）茎( cane的名词复数 )；（用于制作家具等的）竹竿；竹杖 | |
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39
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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40
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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41
soot
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| n.煤烟，烟尘；vt.熏以煤烟 | |
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42
outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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stouter
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| 粗壮的( stout的比较级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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45
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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47
lathes
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| 车床( lathe的名词复数 ) | |
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48
lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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49
squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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50
utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
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51
abodes
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| 住所( abode的名词复数 )； 公寓； （在某地的）暂住； 逗留 | |
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52
encompassed
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| v.围绕( encompass的过去式和过去分词 )；包围；包含；包括 | |
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53
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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54
wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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55
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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56
sanitary
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| adj.卫生方面的，卫生的，清洁的，卫生的 | |
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57
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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58
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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59
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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sloppy
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| adj.邋遢的，不整洁的 | |
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