64 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XII. 



joint angles. The two booms pass through slots in the topmost 



strake. 



(c) The Weda design.— At Weda, further south, the large outrig- 

 gers are not plank-built ; the hulls are large dugouts, running to 25 

 feet in length. Some have the depth increased by the addition 

 of a wash-strake where the dugout has not sufficient freeboard. 

 Two examples measured were respectively 25 feet overall, 2Y 2 feet 

 beam and the same in depth, and 24 feet by 2 feet 7 inches wide 

 by 2Y 2 feet deep; the latter had a wash-strake added. These 

 boats carry a cabin of the usual style, the sides built outboard 

 upon the support of the booms. The bow and stern pieces are 

 short and inconspicuous. 



The outrigger design departs from that seen elsewhere in the 

 Moluccas in being provided with three transverse booms; usually 

 all three are attached to the floats by heeled elbow joints after the 

 Buli pattern ; in a few the middle one is sometimes omitted. Two 

 strengthening brace poles are used as in the other designs described. 

 A further peculiarity is the frequent use of a bamboo and a jungle 

 pole lashed together to form a compound float. Where the float is 

 single, a tree pole is employed. In the use of more than two booms, 

 this design approaches that seen on the opposite coast of New 

 Guinea, hence the Weda boats form the connecting link between 

 the Moluccas and New Guinea. This is to be expected ; for the 

 east coast of the Moluccas faces New Guinea and the population of 

 so-called Alfuros show distinct hybrid characteristics wherein a 

 Papuasian element is marked. Strangely enough there is little or 

 no trace of frizzly hair to be seen ; from various facts which have 

 come to my notice, I am led to infer that the frizzy mop of the 

 Papuasian is of a recessive nature liable to be eliminated when 

 crossed with the straight-haired races. 



Batjan Island. — At Labuha in this island, which lies to the west 

 of the southern extremity of Halmaheira, the finest and largest 

 example of Moluccan outrigger boats was seen. It was a big boat 

 about 30 feet overall, beamy but of little draft (Fig. 27). The 

 ends rose high and sharp, gradually narrowing till they became 

 attenuated to a sharp point, in this closely resembling the big 

 gondola-like boats without outriggers seen everywhere in Halma- 

 heira ports. Unlike the latter, the Batjan boat had no pumpkin- 

 shaped ornament on either of the high projections ; two booms only 

 were employed, but the float was more strongly constructed than 



