THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 



483 



Sumatra. In colour they resemble the Tahitians, from whom 

 they do not widely differ in features. Some of the women, 

 however, show a good deal of the Chinese character. I liked 

 both their general expressions and the sound of their voices. 

 They appeared poor, and their houses were destitute of fur- 

 niture; but it was evident, from the plumpness of the little 

 children, that cocoa-nuts and turtle afford no bad sustenance. 



On this island the wells are situated, from which ships 

 obtain water. At first sight it appears not a little remarkable 

 that the fresh water should regularly ebb and flow with the 

 tides ; and it has even been imagined, that sand has the power 

 of filtering the salt from the sea-water. These ebbing wells 

 are common on some of the low islands in the West Indies. 

 The compressed sand, or porous coral rock, is permeated like 

 a sponge with the salt water ; but the rain which falls on the 

 surface must sink to the level of the surrounding sea, and 

 must accumulate there, displacing an equal bulk of the salt 

 water. As the water in the lower part of the great sponge- 

 like coral mass rises and falls with the tides, so will the 

 water near the surface ; and this will keep fresh, if the mass 

 be sufficiently compact to prevent much mechanical admix- 

 ture; but where the land consists of great loose blocks of 

 coral with open interstices, if a well be dug, the water, as I 

 have seen, is brackish. 



After dinner we stayed to see a curious half superstitious 

 scene acted by the Malay women. A large wooden spoon 

 dressed in garments, and which had been carried to the grave 

 of a dead man, they pretend becomes inspired at the full of 

 the moon, and will dance and jump about. After the proper 

 preparations, the spoon, held by two women, became con- 

 vulsed, and danced in good time to the song of the surround- 

 ing children and women. It was a most foolish spectacle; 

 but Mr. Liesk maintained that many of the Malays believed 

 in its spiritual movements. The dance did not commence till 

 the moon had risen, and it was well worth remaining to be- 

 hold her bright orb so quietly shining through the long arms 

 of the cocoa-nut trees as they waved in the evening breeze. 

 These scenes of the tropics are in themselves so delicious, 

 that they almost equal those dearer ones at home, to which 

 We are bound by each best feeling of the mind. 



