Appearance of the Natives of Malay ta. 597 



in tlie air. Consequently wliat might have been a serious 

 calamity was avoided, and the result of the accident was 

 confined to the difficult task of disengaging the unwieldy 

 shattered yard. Towards evening a heavy rain fell, and the 

 wind went down. In the course of the profoundly calm 

 night which followed^ the current swept us so close in shore, 

 that by morning we were not more than two or three miles 

 distant. A few small boats with natives were about, which 

 endeavoured to approach us, but only one of their number 

 succeeded. These boats were not ordinary canoes, but 

 regularly decked and deep-waisted boats, with high stem 

 and stern, not unlike the boats in use at the Island of 

 Madeira. 



The one which came alongside was manned by five 

 brownish-black men, perfectly naked, with thick crisp hair 

 resembling a wig, which seemed to be stained red with 

 ochre. By way of special adornment, some wore in their 

 side hair a yellowish-red tuft, something like a tassel, and 

 apparently made of strips of stained bast. One wore a wild 

 boar's tooth in the tip of the ear, two others had small 

 cylinders neatly carved out of mussel-shells passed through 

 the nostrils, as well as rings of the same material around the 

 upper arm and below the knee. When the boat had got 

 within about a pistol shot from us, one of the natives rose, 

 and in clear strong tones shouted to us some unintelligible 

 words, while at the same time he pointed toAvards the land 

 with very eager, energetic gestui^es. He seemed desirous of 



