450 EBBING WELLS. [chap. xx. 



mats made of woven bark. The houses of the Malays are 

 arranged along the shore of the lagoon. The whole place 

 had rather a desolate aspect, for there were no gardens to 

 show the signs of care and cultivation. The natives belong 

 to different islands in the East Indian Archipelago, but all 

 speak the same language : we saw the inhabitants of 

 Borneo, Celebes, Java, and Sumatra. In colour they 

 resemble the Tahitians, from whom they do not widely 

 differ in features. Some of the women, however, show a 

 good deal of the Chinese character. I liked both their 

 general expressions and the sound of their voices. They 

 appeared poor, and their houses were destitute of furniture ; 

 but it was evident, from the plumpness of the little children, 

 that cocoa-nuts and turtle afford no bad sustenance. 



On this island the wells are situated, from which ships 

 obtain water. At first sight it appears not a little remark- 

 able that the fresh water should regularly ebb and flow 

 with the tides ; and it has even been imagined that sand 

 has the power of filtering the salt from the sea-water. 

 These ebbing wells are common on some of the low islands 

 in the West Indies. The compressed sand, or porous coral 

 rock, is permeated like a sponge with the salt water ; but 

 the rain which falls on the surface must sink to the level of 

 the surrounding sea, and must accumulate there, displacing 

 an equal bulk of the salt water. As the water in the lower 

 part of the great sponge-like coral mass rises and falls 

 with the tides, so will the water near the surface ; and this 

 will keep fresh, if the mass be sufficiently compact to 

 prevent much mechanical admixture ; but where the land 

 consists of great loose blocks of coral with open interstices, 

 if a well be dug, the water, as I have seen, is brackish. 



After dinner we stayed to see a curious half-superstitious 

 scene acted by the Malay women. A large wooden spoon 

 dressed in garments, and which had been carried to the 

 grave of a dead man, they pretend becomes inspired at the 

 full of the moon, and will dance and jump about. After 

 the proper preparations, the spoon, held by two women, 

 became convulsed, and danced in good time to the song of 

 (he surrounding children and women. It was a most 

 foolish spectacle ; but Mr. Liesk maintained that many of 

 the Malays believed in its spiritual movements. The dance 

 did not commence till the moon had risen, and it was w;ell 

 worth remaining, to behold her bright orb so quietly 

 shining through the long arms of the cocoa-nut trees as 



