A SUPPOSITITIOUS TOP-BOOT.— HAMLYN-HAEPIS. 
19 
A SUPPOSITITIOUS TOP-BOOT, 
IN THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM COLLECTIONS. 
By R. Hamlyn-Harris, D.Sc., Etc. (Director). 
(Plate X and One Text-figure.) 
There is in the collections of the Queensland Museum an ethnological 
specimen of great interest but of doubtful locality and significance. The object 
represents what may be designated as a “top-boot” made of cocoanut fibre 
-ornamented with distinct designs in white, red, and black, yellow being also 
introduced, and labelled as such I find it 
entered in one of the registers — No. 6082. 
I am not in the position, however, to either 
contradict or confirm the statement, since 
though it may have the shape of a “ top- 
boot ” it is hardly to be supposed that it 
would be used in that waj'', especially as 
the upper portion is sewn to the sole so that 
communication between the upper and lower 
portions is entirely impossible. 
In order to make these few remarks more 
intelligible, the specimen has been reproduced 
on Plate X, of which the front view is given. 
The ornamentation on the back is very 
similar, and as there is an interesting design 
on the sole of the object, a figure of 
this (Text-figure No. 1) is also reproduced. 
The question naturally arises as to what 
can be its use, and on this point I am quite 
unable to throw any light. Mr. Douglas 
Rannie has suggested the possibility of such 
a boot being used for the Malekula effigies, 
and, since the lower limbs of these are iisually 
mere stumps, it does not require a very 
extensive amount of imagination to attribute 
to these “ top-boots” such a function. The 
effigies would doubtless find them useful. 
Somehow this explanation does not meet with favour, and even if such were the 
case it has yet to be proved that this specimen came from Malekula or the 
neighbouring islands. It is to be earnestly hoped that, if any information 
conceining this could be obtained, ethnologists will not fail to communicate with 
the author. 
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