204 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



heads. When in full dress, however, this abundance 

 of hair is confined by a red handkerchief, obtained 

 from the natives on the coast, and ornamented with 

 parts of a small shell, the JVassa, in place of beads. 

 Their clothing is a strip of the inner bark of a 

 tree beaten with stones until it becomes white and 

 opaque, and appears much like white, rough paper. 

 This garment is three or four inches wide and about 

 three feet long. It passes roimd the waist and covers 

 the loins in such a way that one end hangs down in 

 front as far as the knee. On the arm, above the 

 elbow, some wore a large ring, apparently made from 

 the stalk of a sea-fan, Gorgonia, To this were fastened 

 bunches of long, narrow green leaves, striped with 

 yellow. Similar ornaments were fastened to the el- 

 bows and to the strip of bark at the waist. Each 

 of the warriors was armed with a parang or cleaver, 

 which he raised high in the right hand, while on his 

 left arm was a shield three or four feet long but only 

 four or five inches wide, which he held before him as 

 if to ward off an imaginary blow. Their dance was 

 merely a series of short leaps forward and backward, 

 and occasionally whirling quickly round as if to de- 

 fend themselves from a sudden attack in the rear. 

 Their only musical instrument was a rude tifa, which 

 was accompanied by a monotonous song from the 

 women, children, and old men. At first the time of 

 the music was slow, but by degrees it grew quicker 

 and louder, until all sang as fast and loud as they 

 could. The dancing warriors became more excited, 

 and flourished their cleavers and leaped to and fro 

 ^vith all their might, until, as one of our company 



