50 



ELLICE'S AND KINGS MILL GROUP. 



one another, and war seems to be one of the principal employments 

 of this people. 



In order to guard against the destructive effect of these arms, they 

 had invented a kind of armour, which was almost an effectual 

 defence against their weapons, and accounted at once for their arms 

 and legs being the only parts where scars were seen. This con- 

 sisted of a sort of cuirass, covering the body as far down as the 

 hips, and rising above the back of the head three or four inches. 

 This, when taken off and set upon the deck, somewhat resembled a 

 high-backed chair. It was made of plaited cocoanut-husk fibres, 

 woven into as solid and compact a mass as if it had been made of 

 board half an inch thick, and was as stiff as a coat of mail. For 

 the legs and arms, they have also a covering of netted sennit of 

 the same material, which they put on. That for the legs resembles 

 a pair of overhauls, such as sailmakers use, with straps over the 

 shoulders. The covering for the arms is drawn on in like manner. 



ttfell^v^^^^ 



DRUM.MOND ISLAND WARRIORS. 



The appearance of the body was as if it were clothed in pantaloons 

 and jacket of a deep brown colour. This they must find a very in- 

 convenient covering for their hot climate. However singular the 

 body-dress is, that of the head is still more so : it consists of the skin 

 of the porcupine-fish, cut open at the head, and stretched sufficiently 

 large to admit the head of a man. It is perfectly round, with the tail 



