Explanation of Plate XXXV. 



Tliis plate shows the section of a cross-beaui from the chiefs' club-house 

 at Koror, Palau (PI. XXIX) which was given us as a present and is now 

 in the Anthropological Institute of the Tokyo Imperial University. It is 

 not certain what wood the cross-beam is mad(! of, though it seems to have 

 been obtained from the bread-fruit tree. ïlie section shown in this plate is a 

 square piece some 2-70 m. in length and 24 cm. in breadth at the widest part, 

 and is carved on all sides except the upper. 



The first is the rej)resentation of a whaler whirh once visited the islands. 

 It has a gun at the bow. Each person liolds a paddle. All are naked, and 

 their posture, etc., are very characteristic of the natives, so it may be suppos- 

 ed that the figures represent those islandei's who were hired to work on board 

 of the whaler. 



The second and third series of carvings are possibly tales from the native 

 mythology or tradition, but the information furnished by the islanders on 

 this point was very imperfect. So fiir as tlie carvings themselves go, the 

 second series are figures of men and alligators, the man in the middle is about 

 to be swallowed by the alligator. 



The third series consist of figures of men and women, together with two 

 dark figures which probably indicate club-houses. The carving on the roof 

 of the house at the right end shows a man who is perhaps watching what is 

 happening on at a distance. One or two persons have several black lines 

 projecting from the back of the waist, which probably indicate petticoats, hence 

 the persons represented nuist be women. The figures affixed in front with a 

 characteristic symbol, reddish brown in colour, show tliiit they are men. TJie 

 conduct of the two persons at the left end needs no remarking. 



