46 
ELLICE’S AND KINGS MILL GROUP. 
The majority of these islanders go entirely naked, excepting a 
covering for the head, consisting usually of the bleached pandanus- 
leaf. Mr. Agate’s sketch of one, represented in the wood-cut, will 
give an idea of this head-dress. 
drummond’s islander. 
Although it has been said that the majority go naked, it must not 
be understood that the rest are clothed, for they wear no more than 
a sort of girdle, which, however, serves no purposes of decency, only 
covering the abdomen, and lower part of the back. Some few had 
over their shoulders a strip of matting, with a hole in the centre for 
the head to pass through, in order to protect their bodies from the sun. 
A few were tattooed very lightly, and in some it was scarcely distin¬ 
guishable. Those that were so adorned had it from the breast to the 
ankles, consisting of short oblique marks, an inch or two in length, 
drawn parallel a quarter of an inch apart: there was a space both 
before and behind, of three inches wide, from the neck down, that was 
uncovered. No tattooing was seen on the face and arms. These 
natives soon showed that they were familiar and had had frequent 
intercourse with vessels, for on coming alongside, their first cry was 
for “ rope.” They had also a few Polynesian words of the different 
islands and groups that could be recognised, which they had obtained 
from the vessels that at various times had visited their island. 
Their own language was totally different, and none on board could 
comprehend it. 
