226 PYGMIES AND PAPUANS 



But by far the most interesting feature of Merauke 

 are the natives of the place, whose independent mien 

 and conservative customs fill the observer with ad- 

 miration if not with approval. It is now nearly ten 

 years since the Dutch settled at Merauke, but in all 

 that time, apart from curbing somewhat their head- 

 hunting propensities, they have made very Uttle im- 

 pression on the natives, who still cling (if one may 

 use somewhat of an Irishism) to their scanty costume 

 of nothing at all, and refuse absolutely the beads and 

 cloth and other "trade-goods" of the invading white 

 man. They stroll about the place in a most lordly 

 manner, and they like to visit the houses of the 

 Europeans, where they spend hours disdainfully watching 

 other people at their work. 



In appearance they differ from the Papuans of 

 the Mimika in their somewhat paler skin and in 

 their features, which are markedly of the (so-called) 

 " Semitic " type with prominent eyes and long, curving, 

 fleshy nose. They are very fond of personal adornment 

 and paint their faces with white, red, and yellow colours ; 

 a fashionable but very unsightly decoration is to paint 

 the eyelids and eyelashes white. Through the septum of 

 the nose is thrust a long piece of white bone or shell, and 

 in the alae nasi, which are also pierced, are often worn 

 the claws of a large eagle which project forwards, and 

 give the man a most ferocious aspect (see illustration 

 opposite. 



Some of the more dandyfied individuals are loaded 

 with necklaces of shells or teeth of dogs, sharks and 

 crocodiles, and bands or belts of the same things are 



