THE MOLUCCAS 343 



The total population in 1887 was 20,030, of Miuch 

 about 6000 were Mohammedans. In 1886 and 1887 

 smallpox carried off at least 3000. The islands are 

 ruled by eighteen Eajas, whose title is hereditary, and 

 who hold the silver or gold-mounted sticks which the 

 Dutch confer upon the princes or chiefs subject to them 

 throughout the archipelago. Villages are very numerous 

 all round the coast of Great K.^. They are surrounded 

 by stone walls, and the houses, which are here as else- 

 where pile-built, are family, not communal, as in Borneo 

 and New Guinea. A certain amount of uncultivated 

 land belongs to each village, the boundaries of which are 

 established by the chiefs ; and here, according to Captain 

 Langeu, the native may cut sago-palms or timber, but 

 the coco-nuts are regarded as general property, and are 

 under the guardianship of the chiefs, who on certain days 

 permit them to be gathered, the nuts being divided 

 among the people in proportion to their rank. 



The Ke islanders exhibit the artistic skill of the 

 Papuans, showing especial taste in carving, and under- 

 standing the rudiments of drawing — a rare accomplish- 

 ment in Malaysia. On the face of some sea-cliffs on the 

 north-west coast of ISTuhu Roa are coloured, incised 

 drawings of animals, praus, etc., which, if not ancient, are 

 at all events not of recent date, and are looked upon by 

 the natives as the work of spirits. But the industry in 

 which they most excel, and for which they are celebrated 

 throughout the archipelago, is shipbuilding. In this 

 they are wonderfully clever, for the vessels are built not 

 only with very simple tools, but without the use of iron, 

 the solid planks being secured together by pegs and 

 fastened to the ribs by rattan. So truly do they work, 

 that planks 20 or 30 feet long are fitted to each 

 other on the curved sides of a vessel with such accuracy 



