670 Transactions . — Miscellaneous. 



clearing, reduced us to a state of solution from which there 

 was no escape. Despite this the photographers took up their 

 stations, and others of us proceeded to make our observations. 

 The lovo, or oven, was circular, with a diameter of 25 ft. or 

 30 ft.; its greatest depth was perhaps 8 ft., its general shape 

 that of a saucer, with sloping sides and a flattish bottom, the 

 latter being filled with the white-hot stones. Near the mar- 

 gin of the oven, and on its windward side, the thermometer 

 marked 114°. 



Suddenly, and as if Pandemonium had been let loose, the 

 air was filled with savage yells ; a throng of natives sur- 

 rounded the oven, and in a most ingenious and effective way 

 proceeded to drag out the siiioulderiug unburnt logs and cast 

 them some distance away. Large loops of incombustible 

 lianas attached to long poles were dexterously thrown over 

 the burning trunks, much after the manner of the head- 

 hunters of New Guinea when securing their human prey. A 

 twist or two round of the loop securely entangled the logs, 

 which were then dragged out by the united efforts of scores 

 of natives, who all the while were shouting out some wild 

 rhythmical song. This accomplished, the stones at the bot- 

 tom of the oven were disclosed, with here and there flame 

 flickering and forking up through the interstices. The 

 diameter of the area occupied by those stones was about 

 10 ft., but this was speedily increased to a spread of 15 ft. or 

 more by a second ingenious method. The natives thrust 

 their long poles, which were of the unconsumable wi-tree 

 {Spondias dulcis), between the stones at intervals of perliaps 

 1 ft. A long rope-like liana — loa — previously placed under- 

 neath the poles, and 1ft. or 2 ft. from their extremities, was 

 now dragged by scores of lusty savages, with the effect of 

 spreading and levelling the stones. This done, our tlier- 

 mometer was suspended by a simple device over the centre 

 of the stones, and about 5 ft. or 6 ft. above them ; but it had 

 to be withdrawn almost immediately, as the solder began to 

 melt and drop, and the instrument to be destroyed. It, how- 

 ever, registered 282° Fahr., and it is certain that had not 

 this accident occurred the range of 400° would have been 

 exceeded, and the thermometer burst. 



During all these wild scenes we had seen nothing of the 

 main actors — of the descendants of Na Galita. Doubtless 

 to give more impressive effect they had been hiding in the 

 forest depths until the signal should be given and their own 

 supreme moment arrive. And now they came on, seven or 

 eight in number, amidst the vociferous yells of those around. 

 The margin reached, they steadily descended the oven-slope 

 in single file, and walked, as I think, leisurely, but, as others 

 of our party think, quickly, across and around the stones. 



