Native Eaces. 208 



miscellaneous cargoes, for which they expected to find a ready 

 sale among the population at the newly-opened mines. The 

 lumps of native copper are still, however, a mystery. Mr. 

 Geach has examined the country in every direction without 

 being able to trace their origin ; so that it seems probable 

 that they result from the debris of old copper-bearing strata, 

 and are not really more abundant than gold nuggets are in 

 Australia or California. A high reward was offered to any 

 native who should find a piece and show the exact spot where 

 he obtained it, but without effect. 



The mountaineers of Timor are a people of Papuan type, 

 having rather slender forms, bushy frizzled hair, and the skin 

 of a dusky-brown color. They have the long nose, with over- 

 hanging ajjex, Avhich is so characteristic of the Papuan, and so 

 absolutely unknown among races of Malayan origin. On the 

 coast there has been much admixture of some of the Malay 

 races, and perhaps of Hindoo, as well as of Portuguese. The 

 general stature there is lower, the hair wavy instead of frizzled, 

 and the features less prominent. The houses are built on the 

 ground, while the mountaineers raise theirs on posts three or 

 four feet high. The common dress is a long cloth, twisted 

 round the waist and. hanging to the knee, as shown in the il- 

 lustration (page 204), copied from a photograph. Both men 

 carry the national umbrella, made of an entire fan-shaped 

 palm-leaf, carefully stitched at the fold of each leaflet to pre- 

 vent splitting. This is opened out, and held sloping over the 

 head and back during a shower. The small water- bucket is 

 made from an entire unopened leaf of the same palm, and the 

 covered bamboo probably contains honey for sale. A curious 

 wallet is generally carried, consisting of a square of strongly 

 woven cloth, the four corners of which are connected by cords, 

 and often much ornamented with beads and tassels. Leaning 

 against the house behind the figure on the right are bamboos, 

 used instead of water-jars. 



A prevalent custom is the " pomali," exactly equivalent to 

 the " taboo " of the Pacific islanders, and equally respected. 

 It is used on the commonest occasions, and a few^ palm-leaves 

 stuck outside the garden as a sign of the " pomali " will pre- 

 serve its produce from thieves as effectually as the threaten- 

 ing notice of man-traps, sj)ring-guns, or a savage dog would 



