The natives live in a state of great poverty, but as their wants are few they are contented. A native vessel from Banda visits them only once or twice a year, to supply them with cotton cloth, which is almost the only article of foreign manufacture they require. They have, therefore, but little communication with strangers, which easily accounts for their being far inferior in point of civilization to the natives of the islands we had previously visited. Their vessels consist of long prahus of from ten to twelve tons burthen, which are employed in visiting the neighbouring islands; and of small canoes, which are used for shorter voyages. Their arms are bows, arrows, iron javelins, and bamboo spears, while they possess also a few muskets, which they preserve with great care, but evidently intend more for show than use, as many are unprovided with locks. The women perform the heaviest portion of the labour, the industry of the men being only displayed in gathering cocoa-nuts, making palm wine, and repairing their weapons, without which they never go abroad. I never went on a shooting excursion into the interior without meeting with parties of armed men, going to, or returning from, their plantations. Nearly every man was accompanied by a dog, who, by his barking, gives his master warning of the approach of a stranger. On one occasion, early in the morning, I encountered in the forest a couple who afforded me some amusement. The man, who was naked, with the exception of a cloth round the loins, carried a large bow, a bundle of arrows with broad points of iron, a klewang or hanger by his side, and was preceded by his dog, while his wife, clad as lightly as her husband, brought up the rear, bearing a musket and a large basket of yams on her shoulders. They tarried awhile with me to partake of some arrack and tobacco which I offered them, and as I always had an interpreter with me, I enquired whither they were going, and why so heavily armed? He informed me that they were bound for their plantations, and that it was necessary to go well armed, as they must show a good front against neighbours, who often fell upon them and robbed them of their wives; while at the same time they were liable to attacks from the wild beasts. The musket was unloaded, and had no lock; but it was perhaps as serviceable as if it had one, for he was afraid to fire off my fowling piece. They make up, however, for this deficiency by their skill in using the bow and arrow, with which I have frequently seen them strike a bird on a tree at a distance of fifty or sixty paces.