[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

I I6 WITH NATIVES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC

and the small triangles thus formed are painted in
rows—red, green and white. Much less care is
bestowed on the fish- and bird-arrows, which are
three—pointed as a rule, and often have no point at
all, but only a knob, so as to stun the bird and not to
stick in the branches of the trees.

Shields are unknown. It would seem that the
arrow was not, as elsewhere, the principal weapon, but
rather the spear and club, and the wars were not very
deadly, as the natives’ skill in handling their weapons
was equalled by their skill in dodging them.

Having inspected the gamal, we received from
the highest caste present a gift of some yarn, or taro,
which we requited with some sticks of tobacco. The
length of the gamal depends on the caste of the chief
who builds it. I saw a gamal 60 metres long, and
while this length seems senseless today, because of
the scanty population, it was necessary in former
days, when the number of a man’s followers rose with
his rank. Not many years ago these houses were
filled at night with sleeping warriors, each with his
weapons at hand, ready for a fight. To-day these
long, dark, deserted houses are too dismal for the
few remaining men, so that they generally build a
small gamal beside the big one.

To have killed a man, no matter in what way, is
a great honour, and gives the right to wear a special
plume of white and black feathers. Such plumes are

not rare in Port Olry.
Each man has his own fire, and cooks his own

food; for, as l have said, it would mean the loss of