C H A P T E R VIII. 



IXDUSTRY. 



In the social life of the Papuans the principle of division of labour lias made as yet but 

 little progress. On the contrary, where outward circumstances do not forbid it, every one 

 procures for himself everything he wants, constructing his house, his boat, and as agriculturist, 

 fisherman or hunter ail the tools and arms required. Already in early youth, the qualities 

 of an ail round clever workman are developed in the Papuan, who if need be, also uses his 

 feet, in order to catch hold of anything. 



Besides the instruments mentioned in the former Chapters, the collection still 

 contains a few more, which must be mentioned hère separately. Amongst thèse is the small 

 bone bodkin (N°. 698), which should not be mistaken for a borer, but it is intended to pierce 

 (FlNSCH [1888 — 93, 205]), or enlarge holes in not too hard objects, and above ail (like a marline 

 spike in splicing), it is used with plaited work (pag. 88) to separate strips and make room 

 for introducing the next strip, as Ten Kate [1895, 8, PI. III, fig. 11] mentions of Rôti, and 

 I myself saw it used by a man at Asé, in manufacturing an armlet. 



As scrapers, sharpened pièces of bone are generally mentioned, and often sago 

 spoons, carried in the left upper armlet, are mistaken for thèse. As a scraper for hard objects, 

 ordinary bone cannot be used, as it is too soft. The greater hardness of the enamel of the 

 teeth (between apatite and quartzite, 5 and 7 respect, of the scale of hardness) lias however not 

 escaped the notice of the Papuan, and he therefore understood, that of the boar's tusks 

 (N os . 699 — 670, PI. XXIV, fig, 13), obliquely ground down at the point, as takes place naturally 

 with the lower tusks, where thèse touch the upper ones, the enamel border protruding on 

 the medial side, can be very useful as a scraper. This small instrument is the only real scraper. 

 often found in the men's bags. I saw it used in a practical manner, similarly as with pièces 

 of glass, scraping in the direction towards the user. Now that the are a of the stone and 

 bone period on N. G. has already become very much reduced, the object will ère long 

 disappear; CHALMERS [1885, 89] saw it used behind Port Moresby in the manufacture of 

 spears, — Van HERWERDEN [1906, 931] mentions similar from the Utumbuwe River, S. W. coast. 



Borers, in the sensé mentioned by PARKINSON [1900, 26, PI. XIX, fig. 9] of the 



