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

AMBRYM 2 I I

the best policy is one of politeness, justice and con-
sistency; and after many years, one may possibly
obtain their confidence, although one always has to
be careful and circumspect in every little detail.

In general, the Ambrymese are more agreeable
than the Santo people. They seem more manly, less
servile, more faithful and reliable, more capable of
open enmity, more clever and industrious, and not so
sleepy.

Assisted by my excellent guide, I set about
collecting, which was not always a simple matter.
I was very anxious to procure a “bull-roarer,” and
made my man ask for one, to the intense surprise
of the others; how could I have known of the
existence of these secret and sacred utensils? The
men called me aside, and begged me never to speak
of this to the women, as these objects are used, like
many others, to frighten away the women and the
uninitiated from the assemblies of the secret societies.
The noise they make is supposed to be the voice
of a mighty and dangerous demon, who attends
these assemblies.

They whispered to me that the instruments were
in the men’s house, and I entered it, amid cries of
dismay, for I had intruded into their holy of holies,
and was now standing in the midst of all the secret
treasures which form the essential part' of their whole
cult. However, there I was, and very glad of my
intrusion, for I found myself in a regular museum.
In the smoky beams of the roof there hung half-
finished masks, all of the same pattern, to be used