276 G. A. J. VAX DER SANDE. 



(Murphy [1904, 330]), the wrapping up in pièces of bark leaving only the face visible. The women of Mowat 

 use a kind of scarf, made of cord, but the head is left uncovered (D'Aleertis [1. c, 9]). The widow's cap 

 manufactured of cord, with the "figure eight" stitch (fig. 9, p. 37), customary in K. W. Land, has not been 

 found on Netherl. territory. Erdweg [1902, 303] speaks of a fishing net, which old women hang over their 

 heads, but it probably escaped the notice of this author that the fabric was not like that of fishing nets: — 

 the widow's cap must (Hagen [1899, 261]) be worn by the widow for the rest of her life, even if she 

 remarries. That the remembrance of the dead is of a sad nature, was proved to Haddon [1901, 10], when 

 people of Murray Island shed tears, on being shown photos of fellow villagers since deceased. 



The fa mil y life can be described in a few words, because it exists only to a 

 very slight degree. Where man-houses exist, there can of course be no question of a family 

 circle in our sensé of the word, and where, as with the Manikion, ail the people of a settle- 

 ment live in one house, the communal life replaces for the greater part family life. Father, 

 mother and child are thus seldom seen together. This explains why, as it seemed to me, 

 the ties between parents and their children on Netherlands territory, are less tender than 

 e. g. in K. W. Land, from where touching examples are given. Very young children, in want 

 of médical help, were generally brought to me by the mothers, and only in a single instance 

 the father came too. Boys and girls 6 years old, and older, usually came by themselves to 

 the daily polyclinic, no parent coming to their assistance, when they were crying with 

 pain. Still I once witnessed a mother who pressed the cheek of her child, crying partly 

 from fear and partly from pain, against her face and tried to soothe it with tender words, 

 exactly like a loving European mother would hâve done. Now and then my médical practice 

 presented an opportunity of witnessing such a scène. When the expédition had hired i4.Tobâdi 

 youths as carriers and left H. B. by ship, in the numerous boats which formed the escort 

 there were m a 11 y women who wept, and amongst the young men, there were also some who 

 could not restrain their tears. One of the women gave her ear rings to her son. 



With a few words I must describe how strangers are treated. In former times the visitor who 

 came to Humboldt Bay was (also at Waba) offered some water. The native who offered it, first took a 

 draught of it himself, according to Vax der Goes [1858, 92], to give a proof that it contained no poison- 

 ous matter; Horst [1889, 250] was informed of the same thing happening in Tobâdi, Robidé van der 

 Aa [1S79, 279] in Tanah Merah Bay. Finsch [188S — 93, 185] mentions hot yams also (Humboldt Bay). 

 From K. W. Land cornes the report of the placing of a sago-cake, filled with grated cocoa-nut kernel 

 (Nachrichtex [1888, 32]), in the mouth, whilst the bystanders sing a song. The offering of tobacco 

 and siri to visitors is ver)" gênerai, the offering of women is reported of the S. W. coast. In Toronta, Horst 

 [1889, 246] was saluted by the singing of the women, who were hidden inside a house. Waving a green 

 branch means peace and friendly intercourse (D'Aleertis [1880, II, 43], Macgregor [1897, 44]). On 

 the S. W. coast, on the approach of a vessel, according to Modéra [1830, 25, 69] and others, some men, 

 but principally women and children, dressed up with leaves, dance in the sea near the shore. On the Fly 

 River, D'Aleertis [18S0, II, 273] saw "women jumping and gesticulating as if they were mad, twisting 

 their bodies into horrible contortions", and as the men waved their weapons, the writer took ail this for 

 a war-dance (!) and a fight followed. As a sign of pleasure when meeting, Sentâni people sometimes shoot 

 arrows over the water, and I agrée with the remark of Finsch [1888, 335], that the name of Attack 

 Harbour was probably given unjustly by Dumont D'Urville; it deserves rather the name of Peace Harbour 

 (see p. 256, below). The Tugeri (Thomson [1892, 169]) touch the navel; more to the east, the hand 

 or a finger is hooked (Beardmore [1890, 463]), nose and stomach are pointed to (Chalmers [1885, 92]), 

 or the abdomen is touched (Annual Report [1S99 — 1900, 67]). Two natives meeting again after an 



