Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1893 — A New Guinea House. [ARTICLE]

A New Guinea House.

In some parts of NewGulnea whole .towns are built “in the sea” The in* habitants live in constant fear of the bush tribes, and as a protection against them construct their houses just off the shore. A traveler describes a summer villa which he built after the native pattern at a cost of about S2O. Two chiefs undertook tho work, and received a little more than half the money, and the laborers got tho rest. The traveler says: “I drew on the beacli a rough ground-plan of the house, showing tho length and breadth, the division of rooms and the two veraudas. Peter, one of tho chiefs, measured tho plan with a piece of cane, marking the length and breadth, and then rolled up the cane and put it in his pocket, or rather in his bag, for of course natives are not provided with pockets. “He went home to his island, and in a few days came back with several large canoos with all the necessary logs, timber, and other materials lashed to them, including the sago palm-leaves for the roofing, and the cane for splitting into laths; and when the house was finished there was very little material lett. “How he calculated so nicely I cannot say, but of course he had had considerable experience in building native houses. Not a nail was used in the building. “On the sea side the house stood in about four feet of water at low tide, and on the shore side was connected with the beach by a gangway. The people had a curious way of driving piles. We gave them a rope, which they fixed round the head of tho pile, leaving the two ends dangling. “Several natives got hold of each end and pulled alternately, until tho pile was worked down to the required depth. The piles are made of white mangrove, and in order to prevent the ravages of the cobra insect, it is best to tar the piles well—or, bettor still, though very expensive—to copper them all over. “The flooring is of cane, tho walls are made of the skinof the palm, and the roof of the leaves of the sago palm, which have to be put on separately, the leaves overlapping a little, and on the outside are placed some branches of the cocoanut palm. “A house of this kind is quite rainproof, and if well constructed will keep in good condition for at least two years. ”