MOKE ABOUT THE NATIVES 189 



patches of forest, and a belt of cocoa-nut trees encir- 

 cled the shore. On two small hills near the beach 

 were the houses of the missionary, the church, and a 

 few other small buildings. To the right, stretching for 

 a quarter of a mile, the native town of Bura-Bura was 

 supported on piles, in some places extending into the 



PAPUAN DRESSES. 



water ; another part of the same town extended along 

 the left shore to a small rocky island. 



The morning after our arrival, a boat-load went 

 ashore, but I remained behind on account of .my lame 

 foot. They came back with such glowing accounts of 

 the land and the natives, that I could no longer resist 

 the temptation to go ashore. When I reached the 

 shore, I hobbled up the beach and sat down under 

 the cocoa-nut trees, in front of the native village. 



Groups of the natives (the men and children abso- 

 lutely nude, the women wearing a short grass petti- 

 coat) were engaged in different pursuits. The children 



