Ethnography cf îlicroncsia 



149 



Again, tlio figures to the right of the tree show natives trying to 

 catch tlio tish which come from inside the tree. 



We learned from a chief who spoke English that tlierc wore 

 two or three kinds of club-houses. At Koror two club-houses 

 stand side by side, one for the young men and the other for 

 the chiefs. Tiie latter is also the cliiefs' council house. Tlicro 



Q^^^'^^^^^H 



071 a beam of a club-house, Koror, Palan. Explaining n mythological tradition. 



stood formerly, we were told, another club or council house for 

 lesser chiefs between the two buildings, but we saw no trace of 

 it, it being destroyed in a typhoon several years before. These 

 club-housos, where the chiefs come together for conviviality and 

 conference, are also used for lodging guests. The young men's 

 club-house is also their common lodging-house, as in Yap ; and in 

 Palau too, women are strictly forbidden access to it. 



If we compare the two kinds of club-houses mentioned above, 

 we find them much the same in structure. While the chiefs' council 

 house is more richly carved than the club-house for the young 

 men, the outer walls of the latter have shells or potsherds inlaid 

 by means of red clay. On either gable of the latter too, a nude 

 figure of a young woman, with her legs wide apart is carved 

 (Fig. 39 and PI. XXXI, fig. 2). The upper half of the figure is 

 gone, as the result, it is said, of the order of a missionary station- 

 ed in Palau wliilo it was a Spanish possession, to destroy the 



