A TRIP TO THE TROBRIANDS 63 



mirabilis, of which I had found a single male at Cedar 

 Bay in Queensland. 1 



I stayed at the Trobriands during March, April, 

 May, June, and July, the winter season, when the 

 weather was fine, cool, and pleasant, but I had the 

 misfortune there to lose Mr. Gulliver, whom I had 

 brought with me from England. The tropical life 

 did not suit him at all. He was not able to take 

 quinine to ward off the fever. When I reached the 

 Trobriands from Samarai I found him very ill and 

 sent him back to Samarai in the Fleet Wing. He 

 died there. I was sorry to lose him, for he had been 

 a good and conscientious worker. 



I did not find the Trobriands as good for collecting 

 as Nadi. These islands were not so rich in insect life, 

 but I had hopes of getting some new things and so 

 stayed on there. The natives used to help willingly 

 in collecting and I got on very well with them on the 

 whole. I recollect an encounter one evening with the 

 natives, showing their good temper if they are treated 

 firmly and kindly. I had designed to take a trip by 

 moonlight across the island on which we were camped 

 and had engaged two boys to show me the road across. 

 After we had left the coast behind some distance, 

 we came upon three inland villages built very close 

 together. All the villagers were asleep. I passed 



1 Charagia marginatus, Rothschild, Nov. Zool., 1896, p. 326. 

 Mr. Meek collected both sexes of this species. K. J. 



