62 



The dwelling is erected on 'a fwrest (.f piles composed of thin 

 but durable wood, and is elevated from lO to 12 feet above the 

 ground. The sides of the great living room are only about 4 feet 

 high, and the pitch of the roof is low. The roof is made of the 

 fronds of the sago palm, each separate leaf being doubled round 

 the rafters (which are only about 6 inches apart), and sown with 

 native fibre to keep it in its place. At one side of the entrance is a 

 partition, which does not reach as high as the roof; this divides the 

 house lengthways into the men's quarters on the one side, and the 

 women's and children's on the other. In each subdivision there 

 is a gangway the whole length, and on one side of each a 

 raised floor which is sub-divided alternately into sleeping plat- 

 forms and fireplaces, each about a yard in width : above the 

 fireplace is a platform filled with wood, and above 

 each sleeping place another platform on which the men keep 

 their weapons and other effects, and the women their tapa cloth, 

 bamboo drinking vessels, and food supply. The dogs share the 

 buildings with the natives. The house is generally surrounded by a 

 garden. Variations of the above were seen. Near Mount Murray 

 there were two additional rows of sleeping platforms and fireplaces 

 on the ground level, one on each side with a separate entrance for 

 each. Again, about 300 miles up the Kikor at the largest dubu we 

 had seen (which we estimated was 70 yards in length) the partition, 

 instead of running lengthways, was across the centre of the building 

 dividing the men's and women's quarters. We have travelled down 

 the Kikor about 1 16 miles to this point before we came upon the first 

 coconut traes we had seen on our journey, nor did we see any more 

 until we reached the mouth of the Kik )r. We found that the langu- 

 age or dialect of the people was continually changing as we advanced. 

 At the Sambregi a vocabulary of the most useful words, principally 

 substantive nouns, was compiled; this, bei-ides being of philological 

 interest, we hope 1 would be of use to us in communicating with the 

 natives we subsequently met; we found, however, that after advan- 

 cing about 20 miles, the dialect changed, and very few of the vv'«rds 

 could be understco 1. Further oa the language was quite diffeit nt. 



While the many tribes of natives we met on our exploration 

 showed no suspicion and absoLite confidence in us, aftu" we had 

 succeeded in establishing friendly relations, frequently coming to our 

 camp and sitting round the fire at night, and bringing thtir women 

 and children to see the "palefaces" during the daytime, they all 

 without exception, refused even to taste any food we offered them, 

 although they w )uld take it and wrap it up in leaves, probably as a 

 curiosity. Thi - refusal may indicate that they possessed a know- 

 ledge of poise n (we saw a fish-poison tree in one of their gardens), it 

 may, on the other hand, h ive risen from a fear of "pouri-pouri"' or 

 witchcraft, i r again, it may be that they were conservative in their 

 commissariat and did not care lo eat new foods they were net 

 accustomed to. 



