The Fo/k-Tn/es oj tlie Kiivni Papuans. 541 



vvomen and girls saying, „You sleep along coconut place, no come back." The nevvcomers shot 

 some birds, and some of the Mawäta women were so frightened that they moved further still 

 into the bush. Then when some more boats arrived, the Mawäta men too hid in the bush. 

 After a time they were reassured by the Yam islanders vvho came across one Mawäta man and 

 said to him, ,,You no run away; he come for kaikai, come fill up water, take firewood. Next 

 time you no run away." The visitors plundered all the Mavvåta gardens. 



One of the huts in which the Mawåta women and children were encamped in the bush 

 was right under a coconut tree, and the people did not see that a cockatoo had pecked a hole 

 in one of the nuts overhead. One night a little boy named Gdmi was sleeping with his head on 

 his sister Si'ku's arm, when the coconut feil through the roof of the hut, brushed against the 

 b03''s cheek and Struck the girl on her arm. „Herié!" the two children shrieked out in terror, 

 waking up the whole camp, and everybody thought that the enemy vvere upon them and ran 

 away in a panic. It took a long time before they ventured to come back. The boy and girl 

 who had been Struck by the coconut had fainted but vvere restored to consciousness by being 

 bathed and bled. Kâusi, their father, was told of the accident and ran to them, furious with 

 anger. The children ail fled before him, and seizing an axe he broke do-wn the huts throwing 

 them ail over. „Nobody heave him that coconut," the people explained, „he fall down self, pigeon 

 (bird) he kaikai. No good you wild along me fellow." Kâusi took his two children and went 

 far away into the bush with them, and there he made a hut for them to stay in till the boats 

 had left. 



Kâusi said to the people, „Head he along boat (the origin of the trouble is with the boats), 

 bad thing he come from that way. More better I go shoot one man belong them fellow." But 

 another man named Dimia stopped him saying, „No good you kill him them fellow." Dimîa 

 knew better, for he had once been warned by a Sâibai man, „Any boat he come there you no 

 shoot; by-and-by plenty boat he come, kill you fellow. Them fellow got another kind bow-arrow." 

 Some men caught hold of Kâusi's bow and said, „No good you go fight. Suppose you shoot 

 him, everybody me he dead." 



The Mawâta people had been advised by the Sâibai and Yam islanders to let the crews 

 of visiting boats hâve whatever food they asked for in exchange for tobacco, and a very small price 

 was given at that time for such provisions. At the present time, said the narrator, if only a 

 small pièce of tobacco is offered in payment for some food, the people will say, „Can't give him," 

 and if one of the crew wants a woman — „Can't give him." (Sâibu, Mawâta). 



N:o 1. 



