The body is then brought out before the house, and supported against a post, when attempts are again made to induce it to eat. Lighted segars, arrack, rice, fruit, &c., are again stuffed into its mouth, and the by-standers, striking up a song, demand whether the sight of all his friends and fellow villagers will not induce the deceased to awaken? At length, when they find all these endeavours to be fruitless, they place the body on a bier adorned with flags, and carry it out into the forest, where it is fixed upon the top of four posts. A tree, usually the _Pavetta Indica_, is then planted near it; and it is remarkable that at this last ceremony none but women, entirely naked, are present. This last ceremony is called by the Arafuras "_Sudah Buang_,"[27] by which they mean that the body is now cast away, and can listen to them no longer. The entire ceremony proves, that the Arafuras are deprived of that consolation afforded by our religion; and that they only give expression to the grief they naturally feel at parting from one to whom they have been attached. The children, almost from their birth, are fed with boiled labu or pumpkin, which renders it easy to wean them at a very early period. On the birth of a child, a cocoa-nut, with some fish, rice and sago are hung up under the house, and permitted to drop off when they have decayed. They informed me that this was intended to prevent the child from ever being in want of anything during his after life. Those who know how to read the human heart will, perhaps, find in the character of these remote and untutored people many points of interest; and I therefore trust that my reader will pardon this little digression. I will now proceed with a further description of the Arru Islands. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 23: On all festive occasions, the starboard side of the deck was given up to the European seamen, while the Javanese occupied the larboard side, each amusing themselves according to their own fashion. As I had music for both parties, the gaieties on board often attracted spectators from the shore, when we were laying in harbour.] [Footnote 24: No better proof can be given of the richness of the Arru Islands, than the fact of the natives being enabled to purchase so costly an article as ivory, which is always in great demand at Singapore for the European market. It is at the latter place chiefly that the Bughis and Macassar traders obtain the tusks, which are brought thither from Siam and Cochin China. The brass gongs are the manufacture of China.] [Footnote 25: How much it is to be wished that these people, who are simple, not incredulous, should be converted to Christianity! The Mohammedans, who always have priests in these parts, make many proselytes. Yet religion is the chief bond by which the natives of India are attached to us.] [Footnote 26: These articles, which are the manufacture of China, are brought hither from Singapore by the Bughis traders.--_Ed._]