Xeiv Guinea in search of Paradise-birds. 21 1 



On April 14tli wc were up before daylight attending to the 

 last of the packing ; then, after fixing the cages to long poles 

 slung between two men^ I led off at 8.30 a.m. with the birds, 

 while Stalker followed with our impedimenta. We reached 

 Eikeiki about 3.30 p.m., much tired, with the long march, and 

 just escaped the rain which fell heavily soon afterwards. 

 Next day I got ahead of our noisy followers with my gun- 

 bearer and shot a fine Zoo's Fruit-Pigeon {Carpopha(/a zoece). 

 When we arrived at Epa a native missionary residing there 

 gave us some fresh bread, and I tried some fried wallaby- 

 meat, which was palatable enough, though somewhat tough. 

 I observed plenty of beautiful butterflies in this district, and 

 spent a little while in the village, which did not differ much 

 from others that we had already seen. Signs of revolt here 

 arose amongst our carriers, but Stalker threatened to 

 report them to the police, and they then came along quietly 

 for the last march. This part of the journey was one of the 

 most trying that I have ever undertaken, as we had received 

 word from Bowden that the whale-boat and canoes would 

 meet us below Bioto, and wc therefore took a slightly different 

 route to our former. We continually descended through the 

 marvellous jungle and open patches of country until we 

 found ourselves in a mangrove-swamp, where the mosquitoes 

 became most annoying in their attentions. For a long while 

 I fully believed that we had lost the way. The daily rains 

 had flushed the banks of all the streams, and as a natural con- 

 sequence the swamp was rendered more difficult to traverse 

 than at other seasons, so that I was happy to arrive at last 

 at the small village of Nikora about 2 p.m. I immediately 

 ordered fresh cocoanuts and had a change of clothing. Stalker 

 arriving about an hour later, when we enjoyed some lunch 

 and made preparations for a night's lodging. We were 

 allowed but a short rest, however, for news was brought in 

 that the whale-boat and canoes were awaiting us in a creek, 

 having been sent up a day earlier than I had arranged with 

 Bowden. Luckily we were within about two miles of the 

 river, and we soon put our stores aboard the Avbale-boat, 

 while the bird-cages were placed carefully on a canoe, and 



