MY FIRST EXPEDITION TO NEW GUINEA 59 



would become a Member of Parliament and, as such, 

 do great good to his fellow-men. In the South Seas 

 the only way that he can win to authority and respect 

 is by pretending to have powers as a sorcerer. He 

 casts the " evil eye " on those who question his 

 authority or resist his exactions, and such is the 

 effect of mental suggestion on bodily conditions the 

 victim of the sorcerer will often die from sheer funk. 



Quite the most amusing instance of a sorcerer's 

 impudence that I have heard of is on official record, 

 having recently come before a native magistrate's 

 court. An old policeman, named Tai-imi, profiting 

 by what his police experience had taught him, had 

 set up practice as a sorcerer on the Gira River. He 

 had his snakes, invisible to ordinary eyes, but never- 

 theless very deadly and real to any who obtained the 

 ill-will of the sorcerer. To enhance his dignity, 

 Tai-imi chose five minor sorcerers to assist him. One 

 he created " sergeant," and another " corporal." 

 The remaining three were "orderlies"; their duties 

 were to cook for and attend to the wants of Tai-imi 

 and his officers. The sergeant was endowed with a 

 snake similar to the one possessed by Tai-imi; the 

 corporal was also given one, but smaller, and the 

 three orderlies were promised snakes should their 

 loyalty merit such a reward. Every day when 

 Tai-imi started his rounds his company fell in in the 

 centre of the village, and saluted him in military 

 fashion. Tai-imi returned the salute, and inspected 



