"At length one of them, who had listened with particular attention, demanded of me where this all-ruling Being took up its abode. I answered, that the Deity was present everywhere, not only among us, but in every plant that, through his goodness and power, he has furnished us for our food. This idea was too abtruse for the Arafuras; for one of them answered--'Then this God is certainly in your arrack, for I never feel happier than when I have drunk plenty of it.'" It is certainly worthy of remark, that these simple Arafuras, without hope of reward, or fear of punishment after death, live in such peace and brotherly love with one another; and that they recognize the right of property, in the fullest sense of the word, without there being any authority among them than the decisions of their elders, according to the customs of their forefathers, which are held in the highest regard. During my stay among them, I never perceived the least discord, either among themselves or with their neighbours in the adjacent villages, which, one would suppose, might naturally take place from the clashing of their interests in the trepang fishery, or from their appetite for strong drink. This last is the chief, if not the sole, vice which exists among them. No Arafura can take unto himself a wife until he has delivered the marriage present, which consists of elephant's teeth, brass gongs, cloth, &c., which is not usually all paid at once, but by instalments during several years. A father, who has many daughters, becomes a rich man by the presents which he receives for each on their marriage. If a young man wishes to marry, and is possessed of nothing, it often occurs that he makes a voyage of a year's duration among the other islands, and making known his purpose demands contributions from those he visits, to enable him to make up the instalment of goods which it is necessary to place in the hands of the parents. The ceremony of betrothing is celebrated by a feast, at which arrack forms a very necessary adjunct. It is not lawful for a man to enter the house of a neighbour during his absence, and if any one offends in this particular he is obliged to pay a piece of cloth, or some other goods, to the owner of the house. The sentence is passed by the elders, who openly call upon the offender to pay the fine, which makes him so ashamed, that he either does so immediately or leaves the village. This fine is called "_Pakul Dende_" by the natives. Should any one even touch the wife of another, he must make a large atonement for the offence. The Macassar traders informed me, that they were always obliged to watch their people narrowly, to keep them from approaching too near to the married women, as the least touch would render them liable to a fine, and unless this was paid the Arafuras would not be satisfied.