50 



MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN 



VOL. XII. 



The ornament on the side of the bow piece consists of relief 

 carving along the centre, margined above in the most elaborate 

 example by a painted frieze of three rows of a conventional wave 

 pattern worked in three colours. The carved median figures 

 represent, taken in order from before backwards, a. a mamma-like 

 boss, b. a human figure crouching on his haunches with stiff tufts of 

 hair formed by wedging small bunches of palm fibre into small 

 holes punched over the head, c. a tiny snake heading forwards, 

 and d. a much larger representation of another snake with head 

 apparently trifid, directed aft ; the size of the head region is much 

 exaggerated and displays a distinct herring-bone pattern along its 

 whole extent. A somewhat similar stern ornament is fitted on 

 special occasions. 



The second style of ornamental prow seen at Manokwari is 

 even more numerous at Wooi Bay, Serui, Bosnik and Pom, all 

 settlements in Jappen and the adjacent islands in Geelvink Bay. 



Fig. io. — Decorated prow of a large outrigger, Wooi Bav, showing egg cowries 

 pendant from the horns of the pierced bow-pieces. 



Figure IV on plate III exhibits the chief peculiarities of this design 

 and its differences from the one previously described. In this, 

 which appears less primitive than the other, the fore end of the 

 dugout is fined down and considerably elongated in a horizontal 

 direction to give purchase for the attachment by splicing and 

 lashing of a graceful wing-like curved prow ornament. Instead 

 of being perpendicular as in the companion design, this continues 

 forwards and upwards the under curve of the canoe's bow. It is cut 

 from a thin plank, the fore edge nicked into several narrow teeth 

 and the body frequently pierced in a fretwork of short scrolls 

 arranged in parallel bands. Behind this is the true bow piece 

 connecting with and finishing off the weather-board fitting on either 

 side. Unlike the corresponding parts in the other canoes it is made 



