64 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



well-kept gardens in which they even cultivate flowers. Mr. Lawes 

 says : " We were all amazed at the cleanliness, order, and industry, 

 which everywhere declared themselves in this model New Guinea vil- 

 lage. The men are physically very fine and the women good-looking. 

 One of the belles of the place had no less than fifty-four tortoise-shell 

 ear-rings in her two ears, and her nose pierced too."* 



Speaking of all these tribes as forming essentially one race, Mr. 

 Stone says that they are a merry, laughter-loving people, fond of talking, 

 and loving a joke, hot of temper, and quick to resent a supposed injury 

 all of which are Polynesian or Papuan as opposed to Malayan char- 

 acteristics. They are clean in their habits, and particularly so in their 

 eating. When allowed liberties they do not fail to take advantage ; 

 and, at Port Moresby in particular, they are accomplished thieves, in- 

 veterate liars, confirmed beggars, and ungenerous to a degree, so that, 

 even if starving, they would give you nothing without an equivalent. 

 This condemnation, however, does not apply to the interior tribes who 

 have not yet been demoralized by European visitors. Both sexes are 

 vain of their outward appearance, oiling their bodies, and adorning 

 themselves with shells, feather and bone ornaments ; and on all festive 

 occasions each tries to outvie the other in his or her toilet. Their dress 

 is like that of the Papuans, a T-bandage for the men, a fringe of leaves 

 for the women, but the latter are more carefully made than among the 

 more savage tribes. They practice true tattooing, the women espe- 

 cially being often highly ornamented with complex patterns on the body 

 and limbs, and occasionally on the face also, but wanting the elegant 

 curves and graceful designs which characterize Polynesian tattooing.* 

 Their weapons are spears, shields, stone clubs, and hatchets, one tribe 

 only the Ilema making bows and arrows. In like manner the Motu 

 tribe only make pottery, which the other tribes obtain from them by 

 barter. They use drilling-machines with a spindle-wheel and cord, 

 like the Polynesians. The houses, whether on the shore or inland, are 

 raised on piles, but are small as compared with those of the Papuans, 

 each accommodating one or two families only. 



Intellectually these people are considerably advanced. They can 

 reckon up to a million. They use the outstretched arms as a unit to 

 measure by. They divide the year into thirteen months, duly named, 

 and reckoned from the new moons. The four winds and many of the 

 stars have names, as well as every tree, shrub, flower, and even each 

 well-marked grass and fern. They prefer fair to dark people, and are 

 thus disposed to like and admire the white races. The children are 

 very merry, and have many toys and games. The Rev. W. Turner 

 tells us that they make small windmills of cocoanut-leaves, and are 

 well versed in the mysteries of cat's-cradle ; while spinning a button 



* Journal kept by Mr. Lawes, "Times," November 27, 1S*76. 



f See figures illustrating the Rev. W. Turner's article on " The Ethnology of the 

 Motu," in the " Journal of the Anthropological Institute," 1878, p. 480. 



