623 



and Woodlark Islands. The Mailu make arm-shells them- 

 selves, and they seem to be as good at that industry as any 

 others. But it pays them to trade the arm-shells down from 

 the east to Aroma, owing to the difference of prices between 

 these two districts. The Mailu know also some tricks by which 

 the market value of a shell can be increased. The value of an 

 arm-shell is estimated according to the position it is able to 

 occupy on a man's arm. The higher up it will go and the 

 easier it will retain its position on a strong man's biceps the 

 more valuable it is, and to this end the Mailu very often 

 grind down the shells in such a way as to allow them to be 

 slipped further up the arm. 



Besides the arm-shells, the Mailu used to acquire several 

 other articles of the much superior Massim workmanship, 

 particularly the exceedingly fine ebony carvings of the 

 Northern Massim, and the fine, green polished axe blades 

 coming from Woodlark or the d'Entrecasteaux group. 



As the trading routes of the east are essentially connected 

 with those of the Mailu, and as the general cultural influence of 

 some of the eastern people upon these natives is unmistakable, 

 it seems advisable in this place to say a few words about the 

 trading lines on, and round, the eastern end of Papua, as this 

 is cut off by a line touching Mullins Harbour on the east and 

 passing through Cape Vogel, including also those islands of 

 the adjoining archipelago. 



Prof. Seligman has given an excellent account of the 

 Massim trade routes, as far as they are contained within the 

 Massim area proper. ^^6) He shows how the main manufactur- 

 ing area (the Trobriands and Woodlark) used to be in com- 

 munication with the d'Entrecasteaux group, and with the 

 trading centres in the Archipelago, such as Tvbetiihe, in the 

 Engineer group. ^^7) Prof. Seligman also traces the lines of 

 direct communication between Murua (phonetically spelt 

 MiiiiVa) or Woodlark Island and the Louisiades ^58) ; i)^^ this 

 is less important in the present connection. He also shows 

 how the natives of Milne Bay were in constant communication 

 with the trading communities of the Archipelago, and were 

 thus provided with the products of the Northern Massim 

 (Trobriands and Woodlark), as well as with those of Louisiades 

 and the d'Entrecasteaux group. "Lastly, the hamlet group'? 

 behind the head of Milne Bay had at least occasional inter- 

 course with the people in the neighbourhood of Mullins 

 Harbour on the south coast, and there is reason to believe 



(56) Op. cit., chap. xl. 



(57)Comp. op. cit., pp. 529, 530, and pp. 537 to 539. 



mihid., p. 530. 



