306 AUSTEALASIA. 



out ever foundering. Some of the latakoi, or trading craft, carry as many as six 

 rectangular sails or large mats made witli the bark of the sago palm, each sup- 

 ported by two vertical masts springing from the gunwales of the praus. Other 

 boats hoist only a single sail double the height of the mast, oval and hollowed out 

 at top so as to leave two points, which at a distance resemble the horns of some 

 prodigious animal gliding through the water. The natives also contrive to make 

 simple canoes quite seaworthy by means of a platform which is attached at its two 

 extremities to a pointed boom or spar serving the purpose of an outrigger. 



Although formerly much dreaded by passing seafarers, most of the New 

 Guinea peoples are of mild disposition and habits. The women are respected and 

 the children treated with extreme kindness. The slaves, also, in the few districts 

 where they exist, enjoy the same food and wear the same clothes as the free men. 

 Homage is paid to the dead with flowers, songs, and ceremonies, but the funeral 

 rites differ greatly in the different tribes. Some bury the deceased immediately 

 after the "obsequies," others wait till the body has been dried by fire or the 

 weather, while elsewhere the bones are distributed amongst the relatives, the son 

 wearing his father's maxillary as an armlet. 



A very common practice is to sculpture the so-called karvars, that is, little 

 figures representing the deceased, or rather the life that has escaped from them. 

 At the son's death the karvar is planted on his grave, with his arms ; he is thus 

 followed to the other world by his father's image, while he leaves his own to his 

 children. The houses and boats, which serve as temples, are also decked with the 

 effigies of their ancestors, the worship of whom, combined with that of the good 

 and evil spirits dwelling in the trees, the rocks, the winds, and storms, constitutes 

 the religion of all the aborigines. Mohammedanism, however, has already invaded 

 the small archipelagoes off the west coast and even some parts of the mainland. 

 Christian missionaries have also established stations at various points of the sea- 

 board, which are at least becoming so many centres of civilising influences. 



Topography of New Guinea. 



The Dutch, as heirs of the Sultan of Tidor, who retains the nominal suzerainty 

 without the right of levying tribute, are the official masters of west New Guinea 

 as far as 141° E. longitude. But on this vast domain they do not possess a 

 single town, whence their direct authority might be gradually extended over the 

 interior. There are, however, a few ports of call visited at more or less frequent 

 intervals by their ships of war to protect the commercial operations of the few 

 European traders, and especially to show their flag and maintain their authority 

 in the eyes of the natives. 



At the north-west extremity of New Guinea the island of Waigeu, that is, 

 " Land of Water," seems to be admirably situated to serve one day as a centre of 

 trade for the insular populations of this region. The deep inlets indenting the 

 south coast might afford shelter for whole fleets, while a magnificent roadstead is 

 formed by the coralline islet of Gemien lying near the shore. Unfortunately 



