r.»13] on The Pygmies of New Guinea 769 



own and the pygmy tribes who inhabited the lower mountains, and 

 partly from fear of spirits or the hills themselves. The earliest 

 attempt at exploration brought us out on to the Kapare, a great river 

 flowing to the west of the Mimika, and it was here that the first men 

 of the pygmy tribe of Tapiro were run dowii and captured. The 

 plainsmen were again successful in capturing two more a short time 

 afterwards, and though terribly frightened they were treated with such 

 kindness that we were able, later in the year, not only to trade with 

 them, but to visit and stay in their village of Wambirimi, situated on 

 the southern slope of the low-lying hills and at a height of eighteen 

 hundred feet above sea-level. 



It is unnecessary to describe the many fruitless attempts to dis- 

 cover the main village, hidden in the depth of the forest high up 

 the mountain-side, or how we were received when the habitations 

 were at last reached. No active hostility was shown to us, but it can 

 hardly be said that we were received with open arms. Before the 

 end of our stay with the Tapiro pygmies, however, their suspicions 

 as to our intentions had been allayed to such an extent that they laid 

 aside many of their weapons. Of the women and children we saw 

 nothing, but their shrill voices, as they fled up the mountain-side, 

 were sufficient evidence of their close proximity. Over sixty of the 

 men put in an appearance, about half of whom were measured with 

 the standard and craniometer : the average height worked out at 

 1 feet 8f inches. Taken as a whole they were well-made and wiry, 

 whilst their colour was a dark chocolate. The hair, which was 

 usually l)lack, with sometimes a touch of brown or even red, was worn 

 short. Many wore beards, the older men dying theirs a bright red. 

 Circlets made out of the shoulder-blades of the wallaby, cassowary 

 feathers, or knotted black string were in common use. Around the 

 neck was suspended a small string bag containing tinder and dried 

 leaves for use as cigarette-papers, while in addition many wore neck- 

 laces of bones of the wallaby or cus-cus, or black and red seeds. 

 Over one shoulder was slung a large bag containing fire-sticks, boars' 

 tusks and other small possessions. For clothing a long yellow 

 gourd was the only form of dress in general use, and was kept in 

 position by a string passed round the waist. Of their houses and sur- 

 roundings I have treated in my published account of our travels ; 

 suffice it to say that the architecture and workmanship were con- 

 siderably in advance of that of their large-framed brethren of the 

 plains. The known tribes of pygmies inhabiting our earth are divided 

 into two classes, Negrillos and Negritos. The former are to be found 

 only in the forests of Central Africa, while the latter inhabit the 

 Andaman Islands, the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. To the 

 list of Negritos must now be added the newly discovered tribe of 

 Tapiros, who so far as their stature is concerned take rank next above 

 the Congo pygmies. I am sorry that it is impossible for me in the 

 limited time at my disposal to discourse at greater length upon these 



