54 



THE SULU ISLANDS. 



[chap. 



is usually a " dug-out," with its freeboard heightened by planks. 

 So far it is a common enough model in Malay waters, but its 

 peculiarity consists in both bow and stern being cigar-shaped. 

 Above the " ram " thus formed the two top planks are l^ent sharply 

 outwards, making a deeply-flanged bow of very characteristic 

 shape. These boats are provided with large bamboo outriggers on 

 both sides, and will stand tolerably heavy weather. The larger 

 praus, which are used for voyages to North Borneo, Samboanga, 

 and other more distant parts, are from 12 to 20 tons' burden, and 





>Ml/' I' 



CABVED STOXE, MEIMBUN. 



are strongly, though rather clumsily built. Their sterns are often 

 highly ornamented with carving. We were much struck by Sulu 

 taste and execution in this way, wdiether displayed on tombstones, 

 praus, or house decoration. Over the door of the Sultan's harem 

 was a very pretty bit of scroll lattice-work, but the best example of 

 stone-carving that we saw on the island was a large slab which 

 lay half buried in the mud and coarse vegetation of the river-bank 

 just below the Sultan's house. The people were rather amused 

 at my sketching it, but I could not get them to tell me what it 

 was. Most probably it was originally intended for a gravestone, 

 but when we were there the washerwomen of the household used 



