JN TJMOJi-ZAUT. 



317 



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child, it would seem, is invariably laid in exactly the same j^asi- 

 tion in the cradle, cither on its l>a(*k or on one side acr(.r(ltn<v 

 to the place of its suspension in the house, with the result that 

 the hinder part of its head becomes quite flattcnrnl. In some 

 living iniimts the deformity Avas very prnnilnent, and tliat it 

 remains permanent is evidenced by one of 

 the crania of a full-grown man wliicli I 

 brought home; but no sort of binding is 

 applied to the head in any stage of thoir 

 youth, as among many tribes, to induce an 

 abnormal and admired shape of liead. 



The artistic ability of the Timor-laut 

 people is unquestionably very high. They 

 are very deft-fingered and clever carvers 

 of wood and ivory. The '^ liguredieads " 

 of their outrigger praus, dug out of single 

 trees, esj^ecially attract attention by the 

 excellence of the workmanship, carefully 

 and jmtiently executed, and the elegance 

 of their furnishings ; while the whole 



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length of the central pillars of their 

 houses are also most elaborately carved 

 with intricate patterns and representa- 

 tions of crocodiles and other animals. 

 Their apjireciation of beauty i^ a charac- 

 teristic of them, which, absolut^dy wanting 

 in the ^lalay people, 1 was surprised to 



AYhile 



walking through the forest they invariably 



A 



find among a less advanced race. 



ORXAMrVTKP rUALK- 



BOLDEIl* 



pluck and tastefully arrange in a hole in 

 their comb which is there for the very 

 purpose, any particularly bright bunch of 



flowers they see. 



Their houses, though little more than 

 floor and roof, are very neat structures, elevated four or 

 five feet above the ground, and entored by a stair through 

 a trap-door cut in the floor, wliieh is shut down and slotteil 

 at ni'dit. In front of the door is a scat of honour — dodohan 



with omainented supports and a high carved back, on the 



— VuadiJuh — with, at its 



top of which is placed 



an image 



OQ 



