ITS WARRIORS. 



529 



their hair is long and thick ; sometimes they suffer it to flow freely 

 about their shoulders, sometimes they gather it on the top of the 

 head with pieces of vari-coloured stuffs. These savages have a fierce 

 and martial air, are abrupt in their manners, and rapid in their 

 movements. They display extraordinary skill in the management of 

 the bow, and also make use of the Malayan kris or crease, whicli 



RRIORS OF THE ISLAND OF O.MBAI. 



they carry in their girdle. In battle they protect their persons with 

 a breast-plate and a buckler of buffalo hide ; these two pieces of 

 armour are ornamented with shells in regular and pleasing designs. 

 The people of Ombai are anthropophagic. 



If now we transport ourselves to the eastern extremity of Poly- 

 nesia, the Marquesas Islands, occupied by France in 1842, we shall' 



34 



