462 



A NATUItALIST*a WANDERINGS 



out into a crimped or semi-frizisled mop. Every man wore 

 sosi>endod over his shoulder a tais or plai<J, which differed in 

 oniamentiitiou and excellence of manufacture according to the 

 district in which it had been maxle. From his shoulder-knob 

 depended his cot, or wallet, the cords for whose opening and 

 closing were elabiirately strung witli circular disks of shells 

 alternating with dice-like beads of bone richly carved. In 

 this is carried a store of betel -leaves and pinang-nnt, with 

 tobacco and other chewing necessaries, and the universal 

 bamboo drinking-cup in case in his travels he should meet 



Bome friend or acquaintance who has a supply of palm-wine 

 (laru) or of Jaimpaf as they name the coarse gin imported 

 by thousands of cases every month into the country. 



Every man was armed with a sjiear and a long knife, and 

 if he had not a lung Tower flint-lock over his shoulder, he 

 grasped a bow and a handful of arrows, light shafts made 

 of the tall canes that grow everywhere in the island, tipped 

 with poisoned bamboo barbs. Many of them carried besides 

 a bufthlo-hide shield to ward off the stones which, suddenly 

 enraged, they are in the habit of discharging — and with 



