68 PYGMIES AND PAPUANS 



into the stoutest heart, when the temperature is 86° 

 in the shade. Pickles are all very well in their way 

 for those that like them, but one hundred and sixty 

 bottles was more than a generous allowance. Punch, 

 in commenting on a newspaper misprint which stated 

 that " the British Ornitholognists' Union Expedition 

 " to Papua was joined at Singapore by ten pickled 

 *' Gurkhas/' suggested that it was " no doubt a mis- 

 " print for gherkins." We were glad that Mr. Punch 

 was mistaken and that we had not increased our store 

 of pickles at Singapore. 



The packing was almost as remarkable as the choice 

 of the stores themselves : they were secured in strong 

 packing cases of large and variable size fastened with 

 bands of iron and an incredible number of nails, suit- 

 able enough to withstand the banging of Polar storms, 

 but not well adapted to their present purpose. The 

 boxes were all too big for convenient transport, and 

 as each one was filled with food of one kind only every 

 box had to be opened at once and a selection made 

 from them. 



Here it must be said that, in response to our com- 

 ments on the stores and the packing, the Committee 

 sent out to us an excellent supply of provisions from 

 Messrs. Fortnum and Mason, properly packed in Hght 

 " Vanesta " cases. These reached us at the end of 

 August and during the rest of our stay in the country 

 we fared well. 



We took with us a small supply of whisky and brandy, 

 which was often acceptable, and I beheve that in an 

 excessively damp climate a small quantity of alcohol 



