i66 PYGMIES AND PAPUANS 



An opportunity of looting, which was not to be 

 resisted, occurred one day when a party of discharged 

 coohes were leaving the countr3\ The boat, in which 

 they were being taken off to the ship, capsized as it 

 came alongside the steamer and thirty cooUes and all 

 their belongings were upset into the sea. The captain 

 of the ship was only anxious to save his boat and the 

 coolies hastened to escape from the sharks. In the 

 meantime a crowd of natives, who had come down in 

 their canoes to visit the ship, lost no time in picking up 

 the floating boxes and bundles of clothing, and before 

 anybody was aware of their action the}^ were fast paddhng 

 away to their villages. 



On such occasions and at other times when we had 

 reason to be angry with them, the people of Wakatimi 

 observed a curious custom. There was in the village a 

 coloured china plate and a piece of bent silver wire, 

 which was sometimes used by the owner as an ear-ring. 

 On the morning following their misdemeanour two men 

 came over from the village bringing the ear-ring on the 

 plate, which they gave to us, shook hands and departed. 

 Later in the day they returned and we gave them back 

 their gifts ; this happened several times. 



At one time there was a serious epidemic of drunken- 

 ness among the people of Wakatimi and they shewed 

 their ill-manners by shooting arrows into the camp. 

 This was of no consequence when only one person mis- 

 behaved himself. But when one day a number of men 

 waded half-way across the river and began to send 

 arrows into the camp, it had to be stopped. The Dutch 

 sergeant, who was alone in charge of the place at the 



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