With regard to the general disposition of the Papuans, a great difference is found between those living in a state of independence and those who exist in bondage among the neighbouring nations. The former are invariably found to be treacherous and revengeful, and even those who have long been accustomed to intercourse with strangers—the tribes of the north-west coast of New Guinea, for example—are never to be de pended upon, and the greatest precautions are always taken by those who visit them for purposes of trade. The wilder tribes generally avoid inter course with strangers, if the force which lands is 'sufficiently great to, cause alarm, but if otherWise, they pretend frieudship until opportunity occurs, when they make a sudden and ferocious attack.
But what distinguishes them most from their neigh bours, the Malaya-Polynesians, and even from the Australians, is the aversion, even hatred, they bear towards those who attempt to settle in their territory, and which is continued as long as a man of the tribe exists. It is probably this perfectly untameable nature that has led to their utter extermination in all those islands of the Indian Archipelago that did not possess mountain fastnesses, to which they could retire to lead a life similar to that of the Bushmen of South Africa. There have been instances of this in Van Dieman's Land, Melville Island (N.W. coast of Australia), and at Fort Du Bus on the west coast of New Guinea, in all which settlements the country was occupied by a pure or nearly pure Papuan race. In the former, hostility was con tinued as long as a native remained on the island, and in the two last, until the settlements were abandoned in despair. On the other hand, their neighbours the Australians have invariably sub mitted after a single trial of strength ; and the Malaya-Polynesians, when not under the influence of other foreigners, have always evinced a desire to have strangers, especially Europeans, settled among them, as shown by the people of the Moluccas when first visited by the Portuguese, and as displayed at the present time in those remote parts of the Indian Archipelago where the race maintains its ancient purity. The untame able ferocity of the Papuans only exists as long as they remain in their native country. On leaving it their character seems totally changed, as far as regards this particular. The Papuan slaves, who exist in great numbers in the eastern parts of the Archipelago, are remarkable for their cheerful dispoSition and industrious habits. The aversion to strangers felt bythese Negroid races was retained by the Negrito of the Andamans for several years, but in 1873, while the Editor was there, a tribe voluntarily came in their canoes to Ross Island.
The Andaman Mincopi have since partly settled.
With regard to stature, a great difference is found to exist between various tribes, even in New Guinea, and which has led to much confusion in the descrip tions given by travellers, who have, perhaps, each only seen a single tribe. On the south-west coast of New Guinea, within a space of 100 miles, are to be found tribes whose stature is almost gigantic, and others whose proportions are so diminutive as almost to entitle them to the appellation of pig,mies ; while the manners and customs of each so exactly correspond, as to preclude the supposi tion that these peculiarities can be other than accidental. It is difficult to account for these peculiarities, but as the stout and stalwart Papuans are met with only among those coast tribes who have maintained their independence, and at the same time have acquired many of the agricultural and mechanical arts from their neighbours the Malaya-Polynesians, while the pigmies are found only in spots where they have been driven to mountain fastnesses, or have fallen under the influence of other races, we may conclude that their mode of life has much to do with this difference in point of stature and proportions.
The Papuans of Dori hang the skulls of the Arfak under the eaves of their houses, which are built in the water on posts, and led up to by rude wooden bridges. There is a largo council chamber at Dori, supported on larger posts, on each of which is a rude carving of a naked man or woman, with other revolting carvings near. The people of Dori resemble those of the Fe and Ara Islands ; many of them are very handsome, tall, well made, with well-cut features and aquiline noses. Their colour is a deep brown, oftsv proaching to black, and their frizzly hair is comixt1 into nto a mop-like form by means of a long six pronged fork. The language spoken at Dori i4 not understood by the Papuans at Humboldt Bay. The Dori people are great carvers and painters. Their food is roots and vegetables with fish and game as a luxury. The Arfak or hillmen of New Guinea are generally black, but some are brown like the Malay. Their hair, though more or less frizzly, is sometimes short and matted, instead of being long, loose, and woolly. The many Papuan tribes in New Guinea are generally in a state of warfare with each other, and return from their warlike expeditions with heads. The natives have also a number of fetishes,' generally carved figures of reptiles, which are suspended from the roofs of the houses, and the posts are also orna mented with similar figures cut into the wood.