THE BRIGHTER SIDE 31 



hostilities in the Straits may be soon related Although there was 

 now open war between Alu and Treasur}-, it assumed a passive 

 character, each side awaiting or expecting an attack from the other. 

 Gorai was much concerned at this turn of events, seeing that, as he 

 told me, he thought he had come to an amicable arrangement with 

 Mule when he allowed him to take the life of one of his son's wives. 

 The canoe-houses at Alu were usually filled during the day by a 

 number of natives, all carrvinsr their tomahawks and debating on 

 the topic of the day. In the midst of them I once found Gorai 

 talking in his quiet way to an attentive circle of armed natives. 

 In the meanwhile the Treasury natives held a feast in celebration 

 of their success ; and the four wives of Kopana were distributed 

 about the village, but they experienced no ill treatment. In a few 

 weeks the animosity displayed between the peoples of the two 

 islands beg^an to cool down : and it soon became evident that the 

 war was one only in name. At length peace was once more restored. 

 In the beginning of October a number of Treasury natives came 

 over to the west coast of Alu where Gorai was then residing, bring- 

 ing with them Mule's principal wife, Bita, the sister of the Alu 

 chief, together with a large present of bananas, taro, and other 

 vegetables; and lastly, what was the most significant act of all, they 

 brought with them the four wives of Kopana who had been cap- 

 tured on the islet of Tuluba. Gorai told me that amity was now 

 perfectly restored, and that he w^as going to exchange visits with 

 the Treasury chief to confirm the compact. Fortunately for the 

 happiness of the natives of Bougainville Straits, war larely disturbs 

 the peaceful atmosphere in which they live. 



I cannot doubt that, in the lives of the natives of these straits, we 

 have the brighter side of the existence of the Solomon Islander j 

 and this result may, I think, be attributed in the main to the 

 influence of Gorai, the Alu chief, who in his intercourse with white 

 men, not always the best fitted to represent their colour, as I need 

 scarcely remark, has learned some lessons in his own crude way 

 which he could hardly have learned under any other conditions. 

 Natives of the islands of the. Straits can count with some confidence 

 on the tenure of their lives, but this is simply due to the influence 

 of the name of the Alu chief. And yet, however secure the sur- 

 roundings of a native may be, he will never be entirely ofl" his guard. 

 Suspicion is a quality inherent in his mind, and it shows itself in 

 most of ^he actions of his life. Even of those natives, who, in the 



