THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS. 469 



close quarters, and no shields, though Jacobs mentions shields as 

 in use at other parts of the group. 



The principal weapon is a lance formed of a small flexible 

 shaft of tough wood, a natural stem often, with the bark trimmed 

 off, to the thicker end of which is attached a heavy head of obsi- 

 dian or volcanic glass, which, in size, appears out of proportion 

 with the light shaft. The obsidian lance-head is usually of a 

 conical form, but some of the weapons have a knife-edge in 

 front, and some are irregular. They are shaped by bold wide 

 flaking. The points and edges are often slightly re-chipped in 

 order to sharpen them, but the original faces and angles are 

 never worked up for the sake of symmetry or balance, but re- 

 main rough. Many lances have their edges and points sharp and 

 perfect, though formed entirely by the original flaking. The 

 hinder borders of the lance-heads are simply rounded. They 

 are secured in a socket of wood attached to the end of the shaft 

 by means of a cement, and by being bound round with fine 

 twine. 



Many of the lance-heads are of most irregular forms, remain- 

 ing just as they happened to flake out in manufacture. 



The heads of the lances are kept covered with a conical 

 sheath of dried plantain leaf made to fit. The natives possess 

 an enormous store of these weapons. They have piles of them 

 lying on the outriggers of the canoes. On shore the men com- 

 monly carried two or three in their hands. In a dispute along- 

 side the ship one of the lances was instantly snatched up and 

 made ready. They are used for hunting wild pigs as well as for 

 fighting. The natives pointed to the mountains of the main 

 island as the source of the obsidian. They parted with the 

 lances readily, and the material must be abundant. The lances 

 are thrown in the usual manner, grasped by the naked hand, 

 being first made to quiver by a shaking motion of the hand for- 

 some seconds. 



Though there is an enormous abundance of Wild Pigeons at 

 the islands the natives have invented no means of shooting 

 them. They can only climb the trees and catch them at roost, 

 or knock them off the nest. 



The natives are extremely expert in wood carving, and show 



