306 TIMOR. [chap. xiii. 



prominent. The houses are built on the ground, while the 

 mountaineers raise theirs on posts three or four feet high. 

 The common dress is a long cloth, twisted round the waist 

 and hanging to the knee, as shown in the illustration 

 (page 305), copied from a photograph. Both men carry 

 the national umbrella, made of an entire fan-shaped palm 

 leaf, carefully stitched at the fold of each leaflet to prevent 

 splitting. This is opened out, and held sloping over the 

 head and back during a shower. The small water-bucket 

 is made from an entire unopened leaf of the same palm, 

 and the covered bamboo probably contains honey for sale. 

 A curious wallet is generally carried, consisting of a 

 square of strongly woven cloth, the four corners of which 

 are connected by cords, and often much ornamented with 

 beads and tassels. Leaning against the house behind 

 the figure on the right are bamboos, used instead of 

 water jars. 



A prevalent custom is the " pomali," exactly equivalent 

 to the " taboo " of the Pacific islanders, and equally re- 

 spected. It is used on the commonest occasions, and a 

 few palm leaves stuck outside a garden as a sign of the 

 "pomali" wilL^preserve .- its produce from thieves as 

 effectually as ,the threatening notice of man-traps, spring 

 guns, or a savage dog, would do with us. The dead 

 are placed on a stage, raised six or. eight feet above 

 the ground, sometimes open and sometimes covered with 



