The majority have short woolly hair, which does not seem capable of an equally luxuriant development.

A growth of hair somewhat similar to this, and almost as abundant, is found among the half-breeds between the Indian and Negro in South America.

Can this be an indication that the Papuans are a mixed race?
For the first three days after our arrival I was fully occupied from morning to night building a house, with the assistance of a dozen Papuans and my own men.

It was immense trouble to get our labourers to work, as scarcely one of them could speak a word of Malay; and it was only by the most energetic gesticulations, and going through a regular pantomime of what was wanted, that we could get them to do anything.

If we made them understand that a few more poles were required, which two could have easily cut, six or eight would insist upon going together, although we needed their assistance in other things.