36 
V^W GUINEA. 
a loud shont, atopping, however, wlien still at a little 
distance. I again showed them the present and called 
to them in the Papuan language, but with the same 
result as before, I then again sent the boat towards them, 
without the interpreter being able to get near ; and it 
had no sooner commenced returning than the natives 
followed with loud cries, taking up their bows and arrows, 
but stopping short when the people in the boat ceased 
rowing. This mode of proceeding continued for some 
time, and at length, seeing that the natives bad their 
bows strung ready for attack, I fired a blank cartridge 
towards them, on which they all threw themselves flat on 
their faces for a few moments, and then paddled away for 
the shore with all their might. 
" These people appeared to be of large stature, with jet- 
black skins, and curled hair. They went entirely naked, 
and no searifying of the skin, or other mode of orna- 
menting, was visible on their persons. In two of the 
prahus I remarked several men whose skins were of a 
whitish colour. They appeared to be chiefly young men, 
not one among them being advanced in years. Two of 
the oldest-looking wore the skins of animals. 
""While the prahus were pulling towards shore, a man 
stood up in one of them, with a thick bamboo in his band, 
out of which he threw something that appeared to me to be 
ashes. When the boat approached them they also threw 
water up in the air, and showed their teeth like enraged 
dogs. My intei-preter assured tne that these people were 
BO inhuman as to devour their prisoners taken in war, 
which appeared probable enough, if we may judge from 
- the above grimaces. 
