CHAPTER VIII 



Description of Wakatimi — The Papuan House — Coconut Palms — The 

 Sugar Palm — Drunkenness of the Natives — Drunken Vagaries — 

 Other Cultivation — The Native Language — No Interpreters — The 

 Numerals — Difficulties of Understanding — Names of Places — Local 

 Differences of Pronunciation. 



The native village of Wakatimi lay directly opposite 



to cur base-camp on the W. bank of the Mimika, 



which was there about 150 yards broad. Beyond 



the margin of the river was a strip of grass intersected 



by muddy creeks, where the natives moored their canoes, 



and beyond that was Wakatimi. The village consisted 



of a single street about two hundred yards long lined 



on one side by huts, which usually numbered about 



sixty. But occasionally, as for instance when we first 



arrived, and once or twice subsequently when large 



crowds of natives from other villages visited the place, . 



it happened that the street was a double row of houses, ^'-'^ 



and every available spot of dry ground was occupied. .^^ ,.^c-^ 



Shifting : house is a ver y_simpje_agair, as_most of _.^ 

 the building materials are carried about in the canoes, W '\ 

 and the canoes come and go in the most casual and \^ v_i ^^ 

 unaccountable manner. Sometimes there were perhaps -'^-'^^h'^^ 

 a thousand people at Wakatimi, and then there would "^ '' \) ^ 

 be days^wEeiTthere was not a soul injhe village. There ^ ^ 

 were times when for weeks together there were large '^ ^ 

 villages at the mouth of the river, and there were other ■''<^jy<^^^ 



