54 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XII, 



The canoes at Bosnik in the Schouten Islands are similar to 

 those of Serui, both single and double outriggers being in use, 

 with the same variations in details. 



Pom, a group of very populous and purely Papuan villages on 

 the north coast of Jappen Island, employs canoes of like design. 

 In one only did I see any divergence ; here instead of a pierced 

 median plank at the force side of the bow bulkhead, the owner 

 had placed a rounded or head-shaped ornament covered with 

 tufts of black fibres let into holes punched over the whole surface 

 to give the appearance of a human head. Mr. Van Hasselt, a 

 Manokwari missionary, informed me that its employment is to 

 obtain protection for the canoe against evil spirits. Probably 

 the pendant egg-cowries are for the same purpose ; as the canoe 

 breasts the waves, particularly in rough weather, the shells clash 

 together, emitting a tinkling sound and, as we know, various 

 noises, such as the blowing of conchs, are commonly supposed 

 to have effect in scaring or appeasing harmful spirits. 



East of Geelvink Bay, beyond Cape D'Urville, except for an 

 occasional visitor from the Schouten Islands, no double outriggers 

 are seen, neither does the use of multiple booms and vertical 

 stanchions extend beyond this point. 



WAIGOU AND THE N.-W. POINT OF NEW GUINEA. 



At Saonek, the chief port in the island of Waigou, and at Sorong 

 at the extreme north-west point of New Guinea, intercourse with the 

 Moluccas is of extremely long standing. These places were gate- 

 ways to New Guinea even before the coming of Europeans to those 

 waters; in consequence the population is far more mixed than 

 further east, and this is the explanation of the fact that the type of 

 double outrigger in use here is wholly different from the Geelvink 

 Bay type ; affinity on the contrary is with the boats of the Moluccas. 

 They have however distinctive points, the most noteworthy being 

 that the majority have four booms, as against the two normal to 

 the Moluccan outriggers ; a few only have the number reduced to 

 three. 



The Waigou type, as we may term these outriggers, are well built 

 and much more carefully put together than the majority of the 

 Geelvink Bay canoes (PI. IV, fig. VI). The hull is built up 

 upon a dugout with flared sides, deep wash-strakes being added 

 to the requisite height. Four or five booms cross the canoe ; each is 



