CHAPTER XII. 



A Savage Battle Shelley Narrowly Escapes A Letter to Father We Start 

 for Shugary Dow ! Dow A Grand Day's Collecting Shelley Astonishes 

 the Natives We Hear of Father's Death and Start for Home. 



TRIBAL wars are common among the Papuans. They 

 are of short duration, but often very fierce while they 

 last. 



Shelley was an unwilling witness to one of their 

 battles, and narrowly escaped with his life. I had 

 gone off collecting birds in the morning, and he re- 

 mained at home. Toward noon the chief's brother, 

 Yorie, came to Shelley, who was skinning birds under 

 the house, telling him there was to be a fight, and that 

 he had better go away. Every one left the town ; but 

 Shelley thought there must be some mistake, or that 

 the fight was to take place some day in the future, so 

 he kept on with his work. 



Presently, a strange man came running up the path 

 to the village, panting as if from a hard race. Shelley 

 had no sooner reached the space behind the house than 

 the stranger made a rush at him. Shelley shook him 

 off; and as he again came up, dealt him a stunning 

 blow with his fist, which threw him to the ground. 

 Shelley then started for the house, to get his gun ; but 

 just at this moment, a body of men, armed with spears, 



257 



