TILE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS. 457 



I got a few natives together round some dead birds which I 

 had shot, and gathered small stones and set them to count. 

 The numerals are interesting, because those for 8 and 9 are 

 expressed as 10 minus 2, and 10 minus 1.* In the process of 

 learning the art of counting, a term for the numeral 10 has been 

 reached by the natives, before 8 and 9 have been named. This 

 method of forming the numerals 8 and 9 is known amongst 

 other distant races, such as the Ainos, and some North American 

 races, but apparently does not occur amongst either Polynesians 

 or other Melanesians. It is, however, found in the language 

 of one Micronesian island, Yap in the Caroline Group. 



In counting objects, the natives clap their hands, held with 

 the fingers pointed forwards and closed side by side, once when 

 ten is reached, twice when twenty is pronounced, thrice for 

 thirty, and so on. Up to 10 counting is done on the fingers, 

 and after that, 10, 11, &c, are reckoned on the toes. 



The idea of counting on the feet as well as the hands still 

 survives in Great Britain. An Irish car-driver in Co. Mayo, a 

 few winters ago, used the expression to me, " as many times as 

 I could count on my fingers and toes " for a score. The use of 

 the toes in counting is apt to seem extraordinary to civilized 

 Europeans, who constantly wear boots and shoes, and sit on chairs. 

 The majority of mankind who squat on the floor or ground, and 

 have their toes generally exposed, and from their posture near 

 to their hands, naturally pass to the toes in counting, after 

 having- exhausted the hands. 



To express affirmation, the natives jerk the head up, as at 

 Fiji. Negation is expressed by a most extraordinary and 

 peculiar method. The nose is struck on its side by the 

 extended forefinger of the right hand, the motion being as if 

 the tip of the nose were to be cut or knocked off. This sign 



* Admiralty Island Numerals. 1, Sip. 2, Huap. 3, Taro. 4, Vavu. 5, 

 Lima. 6, Wono. 7, Hetarop. 8, AndaHuap. 9, Anda Sip. 10, Sangop. Jacobs, 

 I.e., p. 172, gives, See. Maruer, Tollo. Ear. Leme. Ouno. Andru-tollo. Andru- 

 ruer. Andru-see. Songule. Thus, according to him, the numeral for 7 is 

 formed in the same manner as that for 8 and 9. His numerals are no 

 doubt from a different part of the Admiralty Group, and the method of 

 spelling adopted by him is very different. They still correspond closely 

 with those obtained by me. 



