The village off which we had anchored, like all on these islands, was erected on a hill of limestone rock, near the sea shore. These villages present a very picturesque appearance: they consist, according to their population, of from twenty to fifty houses, erected near each other, upon piles from six to eight feet high. These dwellings are from twenty to twenty-five feet long by twelve to fifteen broad. They are enclosed on all sides, and have a couple of long holes cut in the walls to serve for windows. The roofs are covered with a thatch of palm leaves, these being first arranged on small sticks, and then placed neatly on the roof, overlapping each other. The interior is usually kept in good order; but every part is blackened with smoke from the fires they employ in cooking their provisions. The house is entered by a door in the centre of the floor, to which the inhabitants ascend by means of a ladder. Against the wainscoat, immediately fronting the door, is placed a small scaffold of carved wood, having upon it a large dish, containing the skull of one of the forefathers of the owner of the house, whose weapons are also hung around it. These consist of bows made of bamboo, bound round with thread, and provided with strings of buffalo hide, and of arrows three feet and a half long, made of thin reed or rattan, with sharp iron points. With these they are able to bring down a hen or other bird at the distance of sixty or seventy paces, rarely or never missing their mark. In addition to these weapons they have muskets, lances with iron points, old swords and long parangs. These last, which they obtain from the Ceramese and Macassars, have their handles covered with sharks' skin, and ornamented with handsome shells, a small metal bell being usually appended to it. The combs and necklaces of the inhabitants, which I shall describe more fully when speaking of their mode of dress, are also displayed on this stage. Round the interior of the house against the wall is erected a framework, a foot and a half from the floor, which serves for beds by night and for seats by day. These are occupied chiefly by the women, the men squatting down on the floor in the centre of the room. On the right side of the entrance is placed a clay fire-place, supported by a wooden stand, on which the provisions of the inmates are cooked, these last being kept upon a large shelf above the fire-place. Their more valuable property is hung around on the wall, or preserved under the benches which line the wall. Upon the whole, their dwellings present an appearance of greater neatness than those of the inhabitants of the islands to the westward.