The appearance of the Papuans is lazy and stupid ; most of them are very ugly, only a very few have regular features and a lively aspect. The women wear a short sarong, generally of blue cotton, which hangs to the knees, or a kind of breeches with very short legs. The body is other wise entirely uncovered. Some, however, wear the sarong to above the bosom. The children of both sexes go entirely naked until the age of puberty. All wear rings on the arms, composed of fish bones, shells, copper, silver, twisted rat tans or rushes. These last, of the breadth of two fingers, and usually red coloured, are put on the arm at an early age, and adhere tightly to the skin as the limb grows. The men mostly wear a similar band of rattan on the wrist of the left hand, but much broader, and which sits loose on the wrist, in order to prevent the skin being stripped off by the hard string in shooting with the bow. They tattoo themselves on different parts of the body after the death of one of their relations,—for instance, on the cheeks and under the eyes after the death of the father ; ou the breast for the grandfather ; on the shoulders and arms for the mother ; and on the back for a brother. The women also tattoo, but chiefly after the death of one of their female relations. The figures appear to be chosen at will, mostly like those on two crossed klewang, or two curls running into each other. This tattooing is per formed by young girls, by pricking the skin with a fish bone, and rubbing in soot. Large scars are seen on some, as if they had been burned. The number of such scars on one person are sometimes as many as ten, and are probably used as ornaments.
The weapons of the Papuan consist chiefly of bows and arrows, the spear, klewang, and parang, as well as the shield for protection. The bows are formed of bamboo or of a kind of very tough red wood; the string rests in two notches near the ends, and is made of rattan. The bows which they use in war are 6 or 7 feet long, those for ordinary use are mostly 3 or 4 feet. The arrows are formed of reeds, a little shorter than the bows ; they have very long tapering points of bamboo, fish bones, pointed bones or wood hardened in the fire ; sometimes, but not generally, these points are of iron. Most of the points have sharp barbs, which generally produce incurable wounds, es pecially in the case of those who have no knowledge of the healing art, and leave the cure to nature. They do not apparently use poisoned arrows. The points are put into the arrows and fastened with thread, being often subsequently blackened. They generally have a great quantity of arrows in readiness for use. The spears, like the arrows, have barbed points, and are generally 8 to 10 feet long, and frequently have, just below the point, a small bunch of cassowary feathers. The klewang and parang, which they make themselves, or purchase from ships, are of the usual. form. The shield is of wood, four-sided, 5 to 6 feet high, 2 broad, somewhat bent out at the edge, and furnished with a handle at the back. They are generally carved on the outside, and orna mented with the figure of a Papuan in a sitting posture.
The trade with New Guinea and the Eastern Islands (commonly called the Bugis trade), and the trepang fishery on the north coast of Australia, is carried on chiefly in vessels called Padewahkan. These leave Macassar and the other ports of Celebes for the Eastern Islands during the westerly monsoon, returning with the south-east trade-wind. The rich produce of New Guinea, of Ceram, and the islands to the north and north east of Timor, is collected in the Aru Islands, and vessels belonging to British and Chinese merchants annually resort to them to obtain the commodities which they require in exchange for the manufactures of Europe and continental India.
The natives of the tltanata river are the finest looking men of all the people of the west coast of New Guinea. The river is the southernmost limit of the adventurous voyages of the traders from Celebes. These men are above the middle size, and many among them may be called large men. They are stout and well made. Their colour is a dark-brown, with sometimes a bluish tinge. They have dark and small eyes, a flabby, drooping nose, the septum of -which is usually bored, and an ornament of wood or hog's tusk I worn therein. The mouth is large, and provided with very white teeth, which are sometimes filed to points. Tho lips are tolerably thick. Their features bear considerable resemblance to those of the Africans. Sonic of them have marks on the body, especially on the arms, breast, and belly, made by cutting the flesh with sharp stones, and then burning the wound, which causes the flesh, when the cicatrix is formed, to stand out in relief in weals the thickness of the finger.
The Papuans of New Guinea have the sumpit or ' blow-pipe, but their principal weapons are the bow and arrow, and a light spear or lance.
A ion • or Yowl is a group of low circular islands situated about 70 miles W.N.W. from the Cape of Good Hope on the west coast of New Guinea, and 30 miles from Wagiou in the Gillolo passage ; Aiou Baba, the largest, is in about lat. 0° 25' N., and long. 131° E. Other islands are Abdon and Konibar. Tho inhabitants are Pa puans, who occupy themselves almost exclusively in fishing and in catching turtle, with which the lagoons within the reef abound.
Ansus Island is inhabited by Papuans. Their houses are built on posts, placed entirely in the water. At very low water only is the beach partially uncovered. This beach consists of mud, in which mangroves grow luxuriantly, and com pletely obstruct a landing. Their gardens conse quently are on the surrounding islands. They wear their hair in tufts. Their appearance is good-natured, faces regular, eyes beautifully black, the mouth broad, with beautiful regular teeth, and the forehead high but narrow. Many have thin lips and finely curved noses, which give them a more European physiognomy. The men are generally handsome and well formed, stout without being too thick, strong and mus cular ; the women very good looking, and some children with very regular, soft faces, and long pendent curly hair.