The Folk-Talcs of tlic Kiwai Papiians. 539 



they left on the river bank. The Dirimu people attacked the party with their bows and arrovvs, 

 and the white men fired back four times and killed four of them. On the return journey the 

 dead crocodiles were picked up, and the skins were subsequently stripped off and dried in the sun. 



One day a great number of white men landed and told Mâinou, „Me fellow go put flag." 

 „Two fathom white calico" were attached to the top of a pôle, and the great man said, „That's 

 English flag. Suppose Dutch man he come, you ask him first, 'Where you belong?' 'I belong 

 Dutch.' 'You go back !' Suppose German he come, you ask, 'Where you belong?' 'Me belong 

 German.' 'Oh, you go back, this no belong you, this belong English.' Suppose they put flag, 

 you take him down, burn him. Suppose 'Francis' he come, you make all same, you make him 

 go back. You no fight, you show that flag." The great man spoke to the two Yam islanders 

 and they spoke to Mâinou. 



After that the steamer went away but the flag was left at Mawata. The people kept it 

 flying. night and day on a pole which was attached to a tree. One day when Gaméa was a 

 „single boy" (young unmarried man) a German steamer came, and on board was a great man called 

 Itali'a (L. M. d'Albertis). On seeing the tlag the new-comers said, „Who belong flag?" „That's 

 English flag," said Mâinou, „where you belong?" „Me belong German, me come take this place." 

 „No, you no can take this place, more better you go back." Then Mâinou repeated what the 

 white men had told him to say on the first occasion (abbrev.). 



After a time Italia went up the Fly in his steamer taking Gaméa and another Mawâta 

 boy named Dûane with him. One day they ran aground, and the water was very low. Gaméa 

 then saw how Itali'a made a heavy rainfall and a high tide, and they came off. 



Itali'a shot many people. One day Gaméa was sleeping in the bow with his gun close 

 by when he was awaked by Duâne who said, „Gaméa, you get up, look that canoë he come." 

 There were sixteen canoës approaching the steamer. The people in the canoës were waving 

 their hands calling eut, „Kéia kâia wâkére ivakére!^' and they meant fight. When they were 

 within shooting distance they let their arrows fly, but the people on the steamer knelt down, and 

 the missiles flew over them. Itali'a seized his large gun and fired, calling out at the same time, 

 „You get up, shoot him all!" The crew rushed up and fired at the canoës till they ail sank 

 with the people in them. Then Itah'a blew his whistle, and the firing ceased. 



One day when Itali'a's men were cutting firewood on shore a native of the place came 

 and offered them two women. „What name (what) he want?" Italia asked Gaméa, and "the latter 

 explained. „I no want him, no good," said Itah'a, „suppose man go make that thing 1 leave him 

 hère." Itah'a was a „good, quiet man, no want steal garden, stop me fellow." 



On the same occasion twenty canoës came to fight Itali'a's party. Gaméa was occupied 

 with watching the people who were cutting firewood on the shore when he heard the noise and 

 turned round. „People he come, he want fight!" he called to Italia, and the latter replied, „Let 

 him come." The whaleboat returned, and the firewood was put on board the steamer. There 

 were so many hostile canoës that they covered the surface of the river on that side. Itah'a 

 distributed cartridges, and each of his men had a gun, a revolver, and a large knife. ,.Suppose 

 canoë he come close to, you shoot him along revolver," Itah'a said, „suppose people he come on 

 top, you eut him along knife." After a while he said, „What you think, you me (vve) finish to- 

 day? plenty people hère;" but he was only joking. 

 N:o 1. 



