My Friends the Savages

e body?-?The realization of a poet's dream?-?Temptations?-?A call fro

into the Indian Ocean like an arm stretched forth to unite once more within its embrace the innumerable isles t

men are devouring souls, or (with due observance of the law) are usurping and stealing their neighbour's property and products, (the cleverest and most respected being he who best dissembles his rapacity or who knows how best to substitute un

striking when one considers that to devour souls an

treets, presenting to the eye of an onlooker the picturesque spectacle that the contrast of costumes always produces. They are people of different colours, dress and education, attracted thither by the loadstone of wealth. The fortunate, the clever, the unscrupulous have already gained the victory in Life's struggles and now ride about in motor-cars of the newest types; the others look at them, most likely envy them, and work all the harder to get rich themselves. Wil

ngle, which covers the range of mountains from north to south, a primitive people still exists. All unconscious of the violent passions and turbulent emotions that disturb the tranquillity of their f

pure and, for this, lasting; ambition neither perverts the mind, nor consumes the conscience; there are no honours or favours to arouse envy; no artificial boundaries to liberty or difficult problems about

gatherers, public meetings or strikes so that if Stecchetti[1] were still living he might have

turn from an exploring tour in the Isle of Nias. I was feeling rather worn out w

I found no difficulty in selling to the Perak Government that destined

ul appellation which signifies a people of slaves, and this insulting term is explained by the fact that formerly their neighbours carried on an extensive slave-trade by making them victims and als

eparation of vegetable and animal poisons in which art they were exceptionally expert and that they were equally skilful in shooting poisoned arrows. Some of my informants wanted to make me believe that they were exceedingly ferocious by nature and

my guard against certain exaggerated and prejudiced reports and felt strongly tempted to try and dissipate the v

ity, must needs afford an interesting study to one who sought to know them at close quarters. Perhaps, when once I had overcome the, not always surmountable, difficulty of getting into their company, I might find amongst them

here; I longed to know intimately these people who, I reasoned to myself, must be exempt from corruption

now not how the germ took root, but in my brain the conviction was always growing that in the

little by little, solved every remaining doubt, con

life far different in every respect to that I was then passing in a sphere of elegant

wooden pegs; a hat, four shirts and some woollen undervests, a few pairs of trousers and sock

d by death may be considered an involuntary suicide but never a homicide because.... there are no doctors to cure you,

es, I added to them a large quantity of tobacco and coloured beads-two things that exercise a great power over savages-and bidding farewell

i Darats, cal

.

tno

wrote many humorous ve