336 Mr. Boyd Alexander on the 



young Boobie-boy, named John, as guide and interpreter, 

 from Mr. Barleycorn, of the Protestant Mission near Lakha. 

 The Bakaki country is inhabited by a race that speaks a 

 different dialect, and is distinguishable by tribal marks on 

 the face, and these people proved more friendly to us. It is 

 a remarkable fact, but there are no less than five distinct tribal 

 groups on the island. The Edeeyah is a very stay-at-home 

 creature. Many old men that we met with had never gone 

 beyond their own villages all their lives. The mountainous 

 and enclosed nature of the country, with its lack of commu- 

 nication, has no doubt been the cause of these tribal separa- 

 tions. As we passed each village our column gathered in 

 strength, the principal men of the village preceding us as 

 guides. Each had a small hollow-necked gourd with a 

 hole at the rounded end, and this was used as a flute ; 

 it can be heard at a great distance. Long before a 

 village came in sight a musical dialogue used to be carried 

 on, telling the inhabitants all about us and our coming. 

 We toiled through the villages surrounded by natives, 

 all eager to gain a sight of a white man, while some, less 

 brave, eyed the column through the chinks in their huts. 

 At Bakaki the natives again crowded round us ; they 

 watched, with open-eyed wonder, my tent being pitched, but 

 ■what surprised and baffled them more than anything else 

 was the opening and putting up of my camp-bed. They 

 shewed themselves friendly enough, presenting us with 

 fowls, for which they expected double their value in return ; 

 but when I asked for guides to take me up the big mountain, 

 they became sullen and refused to help me. So long as we 

 kept to the low ground they did not mind, but they did not 

 want us to go into their "beef" country and build houses 

 there. However, I determined to go without them, and 

 with the help of my prismatic compass I struck the right 

 direction. All our provisions and water had to be carried 

 with us, and after a two days' climb and cutting our way 

 through thick bush, I reached a height of nearly 8000 feet. 

 Here was formed the nucleus of our collection, which included 

 the majority of the new and rare species. 



