400 A NATURALIST ON THE "CHALLENGER." 



tations. Commander Cameron lately observed similar dwellings 

 in Lake Mohrya, in Central Africa.* In New Zealand, the 

 Lake Pas, which were mostly used as store-houses, are known 

 from the Eev. Eichard Taylor's description^ In this case, piles 

 were driven into the bottom of the lake, and the interstices 

 filled in with stones and mud, so as to form a platform. 



There are the well-known New Guinea pile-dwellings, such 

 as seen by us at Humboldt Bay, and there are also the pile- 

 dwellings of all the Malay races. The Gilbert Islanders con- 

 struct also houses raised on piles, and a number of these natives 

 from the island of Arorai, who were taken to Tahiti, to serve as 

 labourers on cotton estates, have put up houses of this kind for 

 themselves in the latter islands, amongst the very different 

 dwellings of the Tahitians themselves. 



It seems probable that the idea of a pile dwelling has in 

 many cases arisen from the escape of natives from enemies by 

 getting into a canoe or raft, and putting off from shore into a 

 lake or the sea, out of harm's way. If the attacked had to stay 

 on such a raft or canoe for some time, they would anchor it in 

 shallow water with one or more poles, as the Fijians do with 

 their canoes on rivers, and hence might easily be derived the 

 idea of a platform supported on piles. 



The officers of a Spanish man-of-war in the port of Zam- 

 boanga at the time of our visit, hospitably gave us an enter- 

 tainment on shore, and got the Moros to dance for our amuse- 

 ment. Two men danced with spears and shields, in imitation of 

 a combat, in which the utmost rage was simulated on both sides ; 

 the teeth were clenched and exposed, the head jerked forward, 

 and the eyes starting as they advanced to the attack. The dance 

 of the women was like that described as performed by the 

 Ke Islanders. The body was kept nearly rigid, and turned round 

 slowly or moved a short distance from side to side by motion 

 of the feet alone. The feet were kept close together, and side by 

 side, and moved parallel to one another with a shuffling motion. 



* S. L. Cameron, Coram. K.N.," Across Africa," Vol. II., p. 65. London, 

 1872. 



t Rev. Eichard Taylor, F.L.S., "On the New Zealand Lake Pas." 

 Trans. N. Zealand Inst., Vol. V, 1872, p. 101. 



