1 222 A USTRAL. IS/A ILL USTRA TED. 



tribes in the north-west, such as those in the Arfak Mountains, have much in common 

 with those inhabiting the south-east ranges, and are probably one and the same race. 

 In the south-east peninsula a light-coloured race is found on the coast, resembling strongly 

 the Polynesians of New Zealand, Tahiti and Samoa. A darker coloured people is 

 found on the coast of the Gulf of Papua, and the two races meet in the Maiva 

 District, to the east of Cape Possession. West of it are the dark tribes, east of it the 

 lighter coloured race. The inland tribes inhabiting the mountains differ in many respects 

 from those on the coast. They are smaller in stature, darker in colour, and more 

 hairy. Their hands and feet are remarkably . small. They are looked down upon by the 

 coast tribes as an inferior race, but are feared by them for their supposed supernatural 

 power. This points to the probability of their being the true indigenes of the soil, 

 while those on the coast are probably settlers, and have driven the darker race inland. 

 A remnant of an inland tribe, called the Koitapu, is living now on the coast in the same 

 villages as the Motu tribe. They intermarry with the Motuans, but still preserve their 

 separateness. Comparatively little or nothing is known of the characteristics, manners 

 and customs of the natives of any part of New Guinea excepting those of the south- 

 east district. The natives of that portion comprised within the south-east peninsula are 

 not a tall race. On the coast they average about five feet seven inches. Neither are 

 they coarse in figure ; they are muscular and agile, but not obese. They are generally 

 upright ; a round-shouldered man is rarely seen. There is considerable variety in features 

 and in hair. Three distinct kinds of hair are common: i. Straight, smooth hair; this is -not 

 stiff enough to stand out in the large mass which the New Guineans so favour : 2. 

 Frizzy ; this is the commonest ; it stands out in a great wavy mass, and is much 

 admired by all the natives : 3. Woolly ; this is not so woolly as the negro's hair, but 

 is very thick, and most intractable with an English comb. The same difference may be 

 seen in nose and lips. Some have thick lips, and widely dilated nostrils, while others have 

 almost a European nose and lips. Wallace speaks of a hooked nose as one of the 

 characteristics of the Papuan race. This kind of nose is often seen on the south-east 

 coast. The universal custom of piercing the septum of the nose, and wearing a piece 

 of stick or stone through it from childhood, no doubt tends to draw down the tip, 

 and helps to give the nose that peculiar appearance which has so often been the 

 subject of comment. Very few of the men of the coast tribes have any hair on their 

 faces, but among the hill tribes beards are quite common. The eyes are dark and bright. 

 The cheek-bones are often prominent, but the facial angle is not acute. 



There is not much in the way of New Guinea costume to describe. Some tribes 

 in the Gulf of Papua wear nothing at all, but eastward all wear something. A narrow 

 belt or string, worn as a "T' bandage, is all that the men about Port Moresby wear. 

 They consider, however, that they are well dressed, and speak with great contempt of 

 the nudity of those to the west who do not wear the string. The narrow belt worn 

 at the dances, and in full dress, is made from the bark of the paper mulberry beaten 

 out, and then painted with turmeric and lamp-black. At Orangerie Bay, and to the 

 east, the men wear an elaborate covering, something like bathing drawers, made of 

 pandamts leaves sewn together. The women wear a kind of petticoat of grass, or fine 

 palm-leaf, shredded out and plaited into a string, which is tied round the waist just 



