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

238 WITH NATIVES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC

the first basket-plates I had ever seen. They are
frequent farther north, in the Banks Islands, but do
not exist in the south. These plates had no centre,
and had to be lined with leaves to make them
serviceable, being mere rings. They are used to
carry cooked food about. In the Banks Islands the
natives have learned to braid the centre too.

Up in these northern mountains I spent a most
unpleasant week in wet, cold weather, in a wretched
house; but I had the satisfaction of finding two boys
to take the place of Lingban, who had, by this time,
become semi—idiotic with home-sickness.

I returned to the coast and waited for an oppor—
tunity to cross to Aoba, but the weather was so bad
that even Mr. (3., an old sea-dog, would not risk the
voyage ; so we tried to get to Ambrym instead, where
I could meet the steamer for Aoba. We waited for
a calm day, and started out in the tiny whale-boat.
Soon we were caught by one after another of the
ill-famed Pentecoste squalls, and though my skipper
was known as one of the best sailors in the islands,
one squall struck us so suddenly that the boat heeled
over, and only a very quick turn of the wheel saved
us from capsizing. The escape was such a narrow
one that even Mr. G. turned pale, and decided to go
back, especially as the boys sat on deck, quite useless,
green with fear and incapable of helping us in any
way.

It took us a long time to beat back, and we were
all glad to feel solid ground under our feet once more.
After a few days we started again, but luck was