the loins. They fix bunches of palm leaves to
their heads, shoulders, and knees, and wear square bucklers, which
they ornament with considerable taste. The eyesight of these people
is uncommonly acute; and their swiftness is such as to enable them
to chase the wild hog with success. Rats and serpents form part of
their food. This island is equally fertile with the other Moluccas,
and produces spices of all kinds, but particularly cloves and
nutmegs. There are, happily, more Christians now to be found in
Ceram than there were a few years since: nevertheless the majority
are still Mohammedans, and barbarous in their habits."

MR. BARRAUD. "Yes. Very little improvement has taken place in the
manners of the Alfoors. The young men, even to this day, adhere to
the savage practice of propitiating their intended wives, by
presenting them with the heads of five or six of their enemies. In
order to seize their victims by surprise, they lie in ambush in the
woods, cover themselves with moss, and hold branches of trees in
their hands, which they shake in a manner so natural, that they have
the appearance of real trees: they then allow the enemy to pass,
assassinate him by coming up behind him, and, cutting off his head,
carry it away as a trophy. These murderers are received by the
people of the village with all the honors of a barbarous triumph."

MR. STANLEY. "These identical Alfoors have a singular method of
evincing their respect for friends or visitors: as an instance: One
of the kings (for the nation has _three_ to share the government)
invited a Dutch missionary to an entertainment. When Mr. Montarnes
arrived, he was received with great demonstrations of joy, and
treated by the king with the most splendid repast that the
resources of the country could afford. When the meal was over, the
king ordered a number of men armed with swords to step forward. They
performed a war-dance, and, after a few feats of this sort,
commenced a serious fight: their swords clashed, blood flowed, and
some of their bodies were laid dead on the ground. The peaceful
minister of religion, shocked at the horrid spectacle, entreated the
king to put a stop to it. 'It is nothing,' was the reply: 'they are
my slaves! it is only the death of a few dogs! Happy shall I be if
this mark of my high respect convinces you of my eager desire to
please you!'"

GRANDY. "Astonishing! that people with any belief in a superior
power, should hold life in such low es