6 NOTES ON A TRIP TO NEW GUINEA; 
was surrounded by native gardens in which flourished yams, 
taro, and bananas. On our arrival there, during the after- 
noon, we found that the chief of the village was already out 
with the interpreter and with his own followers engaged in 
going over the intended purchase. We lost no time, how- 
ever, in discovering his whereabouts, and, having gained 
his good graces by the usual present of tobacco, etc., 1m- 
mediately proceeded to business. 
The native tenure of land in this district appears to be 
peculiar. The land is held in blocks by each family, and 
every member is free to cultivate any uncultivated portion 
thereof, and the crops he raises are his own property. On 
his death, his children, both sons and daughters, are allowed 
also to cultivate any portion of the original block not 
already utilised for this purpose. No member of a family 
can sell his right to cultivate to any other member in the 
tribe without the consent of the whole family; and no 
family is allowed to sell its land, without the consent of the 
tribe. A purchase therefore, under such circumstances, is 
no small matter. The negotiations, however, were on this 
occasion brought to a successful issue, but only after much 
talk and a distinct promise that “ Britannia’s men should 
not settle on the land.” 
Subsequent observation led me to the conclusion that the 
Koitapu, like the Motu people, were generally shorter in 
stature than the Gulf of Papua tribes ; also that their tattoo 
marks had an entirely different character. In fact, I noticed 
that every tribe had distinctive tattoo marks of its own, as 
was also the case with fhe scrolls and arabesques with 
which their implements, weapons and even their pipes, or 
‘bau-bau,’ were ornamented; and that different tribes 
could be identified by having regard to this amongst other 
considerations. Returning to Port Moresby, on the same 
evening after this land transaction had been accomplished, 
I slept on board the schooner; and on the morrow I started 
on an inland trip, Mr. Lawes having kindly placed horses 
at my disposal. Accompanied by Anua-pata men as 
bearers, we proceeded first along the native tracks which 
traversed the plantations, and then over the range by a 
direct route until we struck the bed of a dry creek, which, 
on being followed upwards, led into an extensive swamp. 
