254 G - A - J- VAN DER SANDE. 



The opinion of Finsch that such big shields, on account of their weight, (he found 

 some weighing 10 K.G. ; the shields of the collection are from 6 — 8 K.G.j, are not intended 

 to be carried in actual war, but only to serve in defending the village, as is also supposed 

 (NaCHRICHTEN [1889, 46]) of heavy, wooden shields of the size of a man, found in the village 

 of Tamberro, has proved to be incorrect by the find in Thaë. It appears, that this for m 

 of shield occurs in K. W. Land especially in those parts, where bow and ârrow form the 

 principal weapons, whilst more to the east, where the javelin becomes more prédominant, 

 round shields (FlNSCH [1888 — 93, PL 16], Hagen [1899, 179], Krieger [1899, 464, 465], 

 BlRO [1901, PL XV, XVI]) are used. 



It appears incompréhensible that the use of shields suddenly ceases near the NetherL- 

 German boundary. It must, however, be admitted, that in villages, which are built in the 

 water, shields are less necessary. 



Of Western New Guinea high, narrow shields are known (De CLERCQ and SCHMELTZ 

 [1893, 146, PL XXVIII and XXIX]), shaped like those which occur on Halmahera, but there are 

 also others, collected by De Clercq [1. c, PL XXX, figs. 13 and I3«]) of Nambèr (Numfôr). 

 Their model is indeed indigenous, as it is met with on Wâri (see fig. 169) in exactly the 

 same shape, and mounted in the same manner with rattan plaited work (N os . 1266 and 1267). 

 They are of such a height, that a man standing entirely disappears behind them. There is no 

 arrangement for suspending them on the body. A hollow is made in the back, corresponding 

 to a thickening on the front, which leaves a small, lengthwise bar to carry the shield with 

 the left hand ; the warrior then has his right hand at his disposai, to use the hère more 

 common lance (N os . 740 — 743). 



It can be stated of the manner of war f are, that sometimes the men of one village 

 proceed in a body towards the hostile village, as illustrated by the story of the attack on 

 the village of Thaë. The people of Jonsu, at the time of the visit of the expédition on the 

 io'h of July 1903, were also expecting an attack on their village, and were hère prepared to 

 receive the enemy. Whether this had been preceded by a notice, as usual in Geelvink Bay 

 (see also HADDON [1890, 433]), could not be ascertained. In Asé I collected N°. 1268 (PL XXVI, 

 fig. 1), a split bamboo with a cocoa-nut inside, and mounted with strips of fibre, which, 

 when attacking the enemy, was to be carried in front as a banner, or to intimidate the foe. It 

 was said that the enemy would then run away, as the cocoa-nut indicates that one is 

 determined to conquer at ail hazards, in order afterwards to hold a banquet with plenty of 

 thèse fruits. Slain enemies are not beheaded in Papua Tâlandjang, and prisoners are not 

 turned into slaves, but, as it appears, released against a heavy indemnity. The people of 

 Angâdi, a regular nest of robbers, had been out shortly before, as was formerly very common 

 in Geelvink Bay, on a murder and pillage raid, and had captured, as a living booty, a little 

 girl of about 9 years, who was being well treated, but was sent back to her parents, by the 

 Governement Officiai accompanying us. 



Ail sorts of events can be the cause of a formai war. Besides, for more or less impor- 

 tant reasons jealousy or hostility exists between many villages. For such reasons arms are 

 always carried when going outside the village, and even, as stated above, the women working 

 in the gardens are accompanied by armed men. The entrances are by no means guarded in 

 ail the villages (see p. 142), still one seldom approaches unnoticed. It is, however, best to 



