A CORNER OF THE DUTCH EAST INDIES. 687 



About one third of the population are Mohammedans, and 

 these are increasing every year, through the influence of Arabs 

 and of natives who have returned as kadjis from Mecca. These 

 men are worshiped to a certain extent by their inferior-stationed 

 fellow-believers, and exercise such an influence upon them as to 

 be kept for the rest of their lives in food and clothes. 



The indigenes of Key are tall, strongly built, having the fore- 

 head broad and slanting backward, dark eyes with heavy black 

 lashes, a large but well -shaped nose, high cheek-bones, and 

 broad mouth, with the under lip more or less projecting, black 

 and brown colored beard, and long, wavy, but fine curled black 

 hair, mixed with several lighter or darker shades of brown, 

 reaching to the shoulder and projecting all round the head 

 like a mop. Their skin is rather dark, but of a lighter hue 

 than that of the Papuans of New Guinea. Formerly, their cloth- 

 ing was the same as that used by the Alfueros of Ceram and 

 Borneo; but, since the establishment of the European colony, 

 both their clothing and manner of living have become more 

 elaborate. Mixtures have taken place between some of them and 

 the Papuans of New Guinea, resulting in the formation of a stock 

 which is found in all parts of the islands. 



The natives live in huts built on poles of strong and hard tim- 

 ber or thick bamboo ; and a very few houses of chiefs are con- 

 structed of timber. The huts are built several feet above the 

 ground, for protection against the swarms of vermin that come up 

 during the southwest monsoon, and to secure a free current of air 

 and consequent coolness. The sides of these houses are covered 

 in either by attap, which consists of the dried leaves of the sago- 

 palm doubled over a small bamboo about six feet long and laced 

 tightly to it by means of split cane ; or with the stems of the 

 same palm-leaf, which, after being drilled and deprived of their 

 thorns, are placed vertically between two boards in such a way 

 that the hollow part of the stem fits tightly over the half -rounded 

 part of the succeeding one. In this way a very light but water- 

 tight outside covering is formed, and gives to the house a not un- 

 pleasant appearance, for the dried stems exhibit a brown gloss, 

 as if they were polished. The doorway, in the middle of the 

 front of the house, leads into a spacious room, which represents 

 the reception-room for visitors. On the floor of this room, which 

 is covered with split-bamboo matting of rather wide meshes, are 

 spread out other mats, made of fine grass or bark. Belonging to 

 each mat is a bolster, with a cover of bright calico print, having 

 its ends ornamented with embroidery. From each side of the re- 

 ception-room are openings leading into the other rooms. These 

 rooms are divided into sitting and bed rooms, and they are 

 adorned with fancy colored boxes made out of palm-leaves, and 



