Great Bird of Paradise. 467 



deep red at the base, and fading off into the pale brown tint 

 of the finely divided and softly waving points. The whole 

 bird is then overshadowed by them, the crouching body, yel- 

 low head, and emerald-green throat forming but the founda- 

 tion and setting to the golden glory which waves above. 

 When seen in this attitude, the bird of paradise really de- 

 serves its name, and must be ranked as one of the most beau- 

 tiful and most wonderful of living things. I continued also 

 to get specimens of the lovely little king-bird occasionally, as 

 well as numbers of brilliant pigeons, sweet little parroquets, 

 and many curious small birds, most nearly resembling those 

 of Australia and New Guinea. 



Here, as among most savage people I have dwelt among, I 

 was delighted with the beauty of the human form — a beauty 

 of which stay-at-home civilized j^eople can scarcely have any 

 conception. What are the finest Grecian statues to the living, 

 moving, breathing men I saw daily around me ? The unre- 

 strained grace of the naked savage as he goes about his daUy 

 occupations, or lounges at his ease, must be seen to be under- 

 stood ; and a youth bending his bow is the perfection of manly 

 beauty. The women, however, exceiDt in extreme youth, are 

 by no means so pleasant to look at as the men. Their strong- 

 ly-marked features are very unfeminine, and hard work, priva- 

 tions, and very early marriages soon destroy whatever of beau- 

 ty or grace they may for a short time possess. Their toilet 

 is very simple, but also, I am sorry to say, very coarse and 

 disgusting. It consists solely of a mat or plaited strips of 

 palm-leaves, worn tight round the body, and reaching from 

 the hips to the knees. It seems not to be changed till worn 

 out, is seldom washed, and is generally very dirty. This is 

 the universal dress, except in a few cases where Malay " sa- 

 rongs" have come into use. Their frizzly hair is tied in a 

 bunch at the back of the head. They dehght in combing, or 

 rather forking it, usmg for that purj^ose a large wooden fork 

 mth four diverging prongs, which answers the purpose of 

 separating and arranging the long, tangled, frizzly mass of 

 cranial vegetation much better than any comb could do. The 

 only ornaments of the women are earrings and necklaces, which 

 they arrange in various tasteful ways. The ends of a necklace 



