50 MOURNING CEREMONIALS. 



soon carried to the other islands of Bouoainville Straits. Visits of 

 condolence were paid to Gorai by Tomimas and Kurra-kurra, the 

 two Faro chiefs ; and parties of the women of Faro went to display 

 in person their sympathy with the Alu chief on the occasion of his 

 bereavement. We were the first to convey the news to Treasury ; 

 and as Mule stepjied on deck shortly after the ship had come to an 

 anchor in Bhmche Harbour, I informed him of his sister's death and 

 of Gorai's request that his own sister Bita should go and visit him 

 at Alu. The news of Kaika's death was received by her brother 

 with nuich composure. Several weeks passed away before Bita 

 could accomplish the long canoe voyage to her brother's island, as it 

 is only practicable for a canoe in settled weather. There was a 

 sudden demand for pairs of scissors in Treasury when the news of 

 the death of Gorai's wife became generally known. Mule, his 

 sons, and several of the men of the island showed their regard 

 for the deceased by neatly trimming their bush/ periwigs, not 

 cropping their hair close as in the case of the Alu natives ; and in 

 accordance with custom the wives of the chief plastered their faces 

 with lime. 



A week after our arrival at Treasury feasts were prepared as 

 offerings to the Evil Spirit — the nito paitena of the natives — to 

 appease the wrath of that deity. For to his anger, as I was informed 

 by an intelligent native named Erosini, the death of Kaika was at- 

 tributed. Whilst walking through the village one evening, I came 

 upon the " remains " of one of these feasts. The essence of the 

 viands had doubtless been extracted by this direful spirit, inasmuch 

 as I learned on the authority of Erosini tliat the " devilo," as lie 

 termed him, had already satiated his appetite ; but to the eyes of 

 ordinary mortals like myself, the dishes had not been touched. 

 However, it was not long before numerous natives were helping 

 themselves freely to the roasted opossums, boiled fish, taro, bananas, 

 etc., which formed the feast. Although pressed to join in the 

 banquet, I did not take to the idea of eating a vicarious mea! for his 

 infernal majesty ; and I^^esisted the persuasion of one of my would- 

 be hosts who, having scooped up with his hands a mixture of mashed 

 taro and cocoa-nut scrapings, licked his fingers well and remarked it 

 was very good " kai-lcai." On the following day an old rudely carved 

 tambu-post that had been erected on the beach was used as a target, 

 at which, from a distance of about fifteen paces, the natives fired 

 their muskets and discharged their arrows. This proceedino-, so we 



