126 GESTURES. 



of the natives, I was unable to render much surgical aid in the case 

 of the severe gunshot injuries, which resulted froia the conflicts 

 between the Treasury and Shortland islanders. 



Elevation of the eyebrows Avith a slight throwing backward of 

 the head is the gesture of assent. A native sometimes raises his 

 eyebrows sWcrhtly to md\ca,te caution or reticence under circumstances 

 in which we should employ a cough or a wink ; and, by the same 

 sign, a question may be asked, and as silently answered by a similar 

 movement of the eyebrows, accompanied by a throwing up of the 

 head. A native of Simbo, on one occasion, because I would not 

 give him tobacco, signified his contempt for me by spitting on the 

 OT'Ound. A woman of Alu informed me that she was the mother of 

 two girls standing near, by first pointing to her daughters, and then 

 touching her breasts. When puzzled, a native sometimes adopts 

 our sign of perplexity by frowning, and scratching his head. . 



On one occasion, I was much amused by the behaviour of some 

 of the Treasury boys, lively young imps who used frequently to 

 accompany me on my excursions. One of their number had been 

 offended by his companions, who immediately began to caper round 

 him, distorting their faces in a peculiar manner by drawing the 

 eyes and mouth towards each other with their fingers, and producing 

 an apjpearance reminding me of the human faces on the dance-clubs 

 of Bougainville Straits and New Ireland. Sometimes they would 

 only go through the motions by scraping their fingers down their 

 cheeks. The object was evidently to create terror, but onl}^ in a 

 mimic fashion. 



But little gesticulation is used in ordinaiy conversation. A. 

 native of Cape Keibeck, on the north coast of St. Christoval, who 

 went through the motions of throwing a spear in time of battle, 

 assumed a hideous expression of countenance with e_yes starting and 

 knitted brows, much as Mr. Mosely describes in the instance of a 

 native of Humboldt Bay, New Guinea.^ A native, who is planning 

 the performance of an act of treachery, usually exhibits during his 

 conversation an excited, restless manner, with a slight trembling of 

 the limbs and a partial loss of control over the facial muscles. It is 

 in this manner that white men, resident in the group, when ap- 

 proaching a village with which they are unacquainted, often find an 

 indication of the hostility or friendliness of the inhabitants by ob- 

 serving the unconscious bearing of the first men they meet. 



^ "Naturalist on tbc Challenger," p, 441. 



