430 BERGH'S GROUP. [1830. 



and another kind made of very heavy wood, about sixteen feet in length, 

 sharply pointed, and hardened in the fire. These they will throw to 

 the distance of thirty or forty yards, at a mark the size of a man, and 

 never miss it, generally hitting it near the centre. The points of their 

 weapons are never poisoned ; but whether from a principle of honour, 

 or the want of means, I was not informed. Their war clubs are made 

 of a species of wood which much resembles our fustic ; being from six 

 to eight feet in length, and about the size of a man's wrist at each end, 

 but smaller in the middle ; very smoothly wrought, handsomely pro- 

 portioned ; and, in some parts, elegantly carved. They grasp them 

 by the centre, and exercise with them much in the same manner as an 

 Irishman plays with his " sprig of shilaleh." With this weapon I have 

 seen one man keep half a dozen at bay at the same time. Their slings, 

 with which they generally commence the battle, are made of the fibres 

 of the bark of a tree ; and are about three feet in length when doubled. 

 In the centre is formed a very neat saddle for the stone, which is 

 generally the size of a goose-egg ; this they will throw from one hun- 

 dred to one hundred and fifty yards with tolerable precision. 



The habitations of these islanders are happily contrived and inge- 

 niously constructed. In size they vary from twenty to sixty feet in 

 length, and from ten to thirty feet in breadth ; being only one story 

 high, with angular roofs, neatly thatched with cocoanut and palm leaves, 

 which render them completely water-tight. The sides of the house 

 are covered, during the rainy season, with large mats, made of the 

 same materials, which are put up about the last of November, and 

 removed again about the first of February, and stowed away under 

 the pitch of the roof, in a place constructed for that purpose. Thus, 

 for nearly ten months of the year, the air has a free circulation through 

 all parts of the house, both night and day. When the tight water- 

 proof mats are removed in February, their place is supplied for the 

 pleasant season by a set of open-work mats, resembling, in appearance, 

 the top or staysail netting of a ship, and forming a beautiful substitute 

 for lattice-work. The floors are carpeted with coarse mats, which 

 are regularly washed once a week, at the sea-shore. 



Their beds are soft mats, very finely wrought, of which the more 

 delicate and luxurious have several thicknesses or layers, piled on each 

 other. Some of the females who are mothers have baskets, or 

 cradles of wickerwork, suspended to the roof of the house, for the 

 young children to sleep in. They have also a kind of bed or crib very 

 ingeniously contrived for the sick, consisting of a large strong mat, 

 stretched on a frame of bamboo, elevated about eighteen inches from 

 the floor, and furnished with sides of network. These are so con- 

 trived, with a hole or opening in the centre, that the patient who is 

 very low need not be disturbed by the necessary calls of nature. 

 Over these cribs, or sick-beds, are suspended large fans, made of palm 

 leaves, which the patient can easily put in motion by a small cord. 

 They also have finely-wrought mats, made expressly to eat from, 

 which after every meal are immediately taken to the water and washed. 

 In short, on the score of personal and domestic cleanliness, these 

 islanders of Bergh's Group excel every race of people I ever saw or 



