216 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



them to Lohier, and he would call all the children in 

 the village, and, making them stand in a line, would 

 give each a small portion. If there was any left after 

 all were served, he would take a piece the size of a 

 thimble, and nibble it slowly so as to enjoy it all. 



When two adjoining tribes are friendly toward each 

 other, they give frequent feasts. Several were given 

 at Narinuma while we were there. For days they 

 bring in bananas, yams, tarus, pumpkins, and sweet 

 potatoes by the hundredweight ; and on the morning 

 set for the feast, several pigs are killed, singed, and 

 the entrails taken out. They then build a large fire in 

 a hole in the ground, which is stoned up and looks 

 like a shallow well ; and w r hen the wood is reduced to 

 a glowing mass of coals at the bottom, and the stones 

 on the sides are red-hot, the pigs, wrapped in many 

 thicknesses of banana leaves, are put upon the coals 

 and covered with hot stones from another fire. The 

 whole is then covered with earth, and when taken out, 

 they are cooked through in the nicest possible manner, 

 and nothing is lost. The vegetables are cooked in 

 much the same manner, and by the time the guests 

 arrive, a small mountain of nicely cooked food looms 

 up in the centre of the village. 



There is little done that day except to eat, play, 

 sing, laugh, and dance ; and toward night the visitors 

 return home with merry hearts, and stomachs well 

 distended. If I should state the amount I have 



