26 



passed through a somewhat dense undergrowth of a small Licuala sp., where 

 the pretty white Medinilla arfakensis, almost a small tree, a very handsome 

 Bulbophyllum covering a prostrate log, and the climbing Diclirotricliium 

 brevipes, another of Beccari's Hatam records, were also growing. From an 

 open space we caught a glimpse of the buttress of the ridge we had descended 

 from, with the glorious Agathis trees towering far above the rest of the 

 forest. 



Farther on, at another unusually large cleared resting-space. vaulted 

 over by trees, we came upon some horizontal sticks, resting on a couple of 

 forked supports stuck in the ground, on which a number of little forked 

 prongs were arranged in groups. Waspiri exclaimed when he saw this 

 peculiar arrangement, explaining that it was the practice of the Coast people 

 to have these places, which show what parties have recently been in the 

 mountains, the arrangement of tho little prongs indicating how many and 

 whether women or children, if the parties had returned, or if any of their 

 members had been killed. On this occasion it was m:ide out that a man and 

 woman, missing from Wariap, had been killed in the hills. 



Finally, always working east, we passed through the bamboo clumps, 

 which herald cultivation, on to a large plantation, with a solitary house in 

 the centre. Here an old man showed us the way down to the Momi River, 

 an impossibly steep track, up which, considering the way it was worn, the 

 people of the house must fetch all their water every day. 



From this plantation a view up to the Serao ridge showed the " kebun," 

 in which we had camped on the second night, and also the house of the 

 head-hunters on the lower slopes. 



Camping by the river that night we reached Wariap next day through 

 the " korang " forest, joining our old tract later, just before the Pandanus 

 group. 



At Wariap my first inquiry was for the ' Valk/ as the Commander had 

 most kindly promised to call in there on his return from the Mamberamo 

 River, on the chance of our being there. As there was no news I decided 

 not to wait in tliat sand-fly stricken spot, but, giving the men two days' rest, 

 to return by the beach to Manokoeari, which everybody at Manokoeari, even 

 Mr. van Oosterzee, had told me was quite impossible. The iSerzan, however, 

 after searching inquiries, found that this route was feasible and well-known 

 to the Wariap people, taking four days. Two " praus" from Wariap carried 

 kit and provisions, landing at night at the native camping-places, to which it 

 is always wisest to keep, though somewhat long, as they are determined by 

 good water and landing-stages. 



I had hoped to be in time for the December boat to Java, but on crossing 

 in u praus " from Andai to Manokoeari, once past the mouth of the estuary, 

 we could see the smoke of the steamer across the bay. Watching intently 

 which direction she took, the Serzan exclaimed, " Poelang ! " (Home). This 



